Saved From Terror By An Angel
by Iridescent Bellisle Cullen
Summary: On September 11th, the World Trade Center, where Charlie, Renee, and Phil work in the North Tower, is attacked. 14-year-old Bella rushes to save them, but it collaspes before she can get inside. Carlisle Cullen rescues her from the falling debris. Read about their journey together as Carlisle helps Bella find her parents and stepfather, who are presumed dead. Rated M for later
1. Prologue

Two days before my fourteenth birthday, I was rescued by an angel, who would turn out to be the love of my life, on September 11, 2001. Without him, I wouldn't be here to tell the tale, and I doubt that he would either.

This is the story of that fateful day. The day that altered the course of American history, but most importantly, my life.


	2. Chapter 1: Attacked!

(A/N: I do NOT own any of Stephenie Meyer's works. Rated M for language and lemons in later chapters.)

**Bella's POV**

_Tuesday, September 11, 2001-6:30 am_

My alarm clock rang and I drowsily tapped the snooze button before getting out of bed. I picked my clothes up off my chair and headed for the bathroom.

I'm sorry. I haven't really introduced myself. My name is Isabella Marie Swan, but I preferred to be called Bella. I lived with my mother Renee and my new stepfather Phil in the Brooklyn section of New York City. I have lived here ever since I was six.

My father Charlie also lived here, two blocks away from my house. He used to reside in his hometown in Forks, Washington, a place under the nearly constant cover of clouds. I was born in Forks just like him, but Mom left him when I was three months old and we moved to California. We stayed there before coming to New York City.

I used to go to Forks every summer since I was one to visit Charlie. However, since I didn't like it there very much-I pretty much hated anything cold and wet-he started visiting me here in New York when I was seven. Last year, though, he decided to stay here permanently. Or at least until I was eighteen.

Life with my family was not very difficult, but sometimes a little too exciting. Phil and I often had to prevent my erratic, harebrained mother from doing half of the things she wanted to do or thought of doing, especially when they weren't such good ideas. Before Mom had met him when I was twelve, and after Grandma Marie died when I was eight, I had to do this by myself. Other than that, not much drama. I usually kept to myself at home, reading or writing stories when I wasn't doing homework. Sometimes, though, I watched television, played games, and went out to dinner occasionally with Mom and Phil when they were home from their jobs at the World Trade Center's North Tower. They both worked as interpreters. They were fluent in Spanish, French, Italian, Arabic, Hebrew, Hindustani, Russian, and the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages. It was because of them I could speak those languages too, or at least understand them. And it's also because of them that we had a lot of money.

Charlie, who I spent every weekend with, worked in the North Tower too as the Head Security Officer. Mom and Phil weren't sure how they felt about that. I think they both knew that Charlie still loved Mom, but since he never bothered her, they set aside their doubts. Charlie was not one to start trouble, though. Like me, he was quiet and kept to himself most of the time. When I visited him, we usually just stayed in his house, not doing much. Every once in a while, however, he would take me to the Radio City theatre or to Sylvia's restaurant. Sometimes we even went to the Apollo in Harlem.

Anyway, let's continue with the story.

After I had taken my shower and gotten dressed, I went downstairs to make breakfast. Mom wasn't a good cook, and she and Phil were often busy with work, so I pretty much cooked all of the meals.

While I was fixing Phil's favorite breakfast-french toast with eggs, sausages, and fried red and green tomatoes-I peered out of the window. It was such a beautiful day. Dazzlingly sunny with hardly a cloud in the sky. I could hear birds chirping in the dogwood tree outside of my house.

By seven twenty, I had finished cooking our meals, and Mom and Phil were sitting in the dining room.

"Morning honey," Mom greeted brightly as I set her plate in front of her.

"Good morning, Bella," Phil chimed in.

I smiled at them. "Morning Mom, Phil," I replied.

We tucked into our food. Because I had to be to my school-Clearview High-by eight fifteen, I only ate a bowl of Frosted Flakes cereal. I ate my favorite breakfast, blueberry belgium waffles and orange juice, on the weekends.

"So," Mom began, jerking me from my thoughts. "Isn't it someone's birthday in a couple of days?"

I felt myself turning red. "Yeah. Mine," I piped up a little wearily.

"Aww, come on, Bella! Where's your enthusiasm? Is there anything in particular you want? Anywhere you'd like to go?"

"No. I don't want you to waste your money on me."

Mom looked slightly crestfallen, and I felt guilty. "Are you sure? There must be something."

I sighed. "Well...I guess I'll think about it and see if there is."

Mom grinned. "Okay. Just let me know."

Once I finished my cereal, I put on my denim jacket and grabbed my bookbag. "Bye Mom. Bye Phil. I'll see you when you get home." I gave them both a hug and a kiss.

"Bye Bella," they said at the same time. "I love you," Mom murmured.

"Love you too," I whispered.

Then I left the house and waited for the bus on the corner. After it arrived, I paid my fare and sat in the first available seat behind the handicapped section.

On the way to my destination, my only friend Gabrielle Watson climbed on the bus. She had a lot of things in common with me. She was just as introverted as I was, but we still had plenty of fun. The only difference between us was that she insisted on being called her full name. She hated to be called Gab or Gabby. We had known each other since middle school.

"Hi Gabrielle," I declared.

She turned to me and grinned. "Hey, Bella, what's up?" she inquired, sitting next to me.

"Not much."

"Have you planned anything for your birthday yet?"

I shook my head. "No. Not yet."

"Oh. I hope you do soon. Hey. Why don't we go skating?"

I laughed skeptically. "Are you kidding? As klutzy as I am, I'd break both of my legs!"

Gabrielle made a face. "Yeah. I guess you're right about that. Never mind."

We discussed more ideas until the bus stopped in front of Clearview on Southeast Eleventh Avenue. In the end, we decided that we could go to Dave and Buster's, a place that was like a giant arcade and game room. I was less likely to get into accident there, unless I was hit in the head by an air hockey disc. Unfortunately, I was unbelievably clumsy, and I was a magnet for bad luck and danger. Consequentially, I was in the hospital more often than not.

Since Gabrielle and I were in school early, we waited in the cafeteria until it was time for our first class, which was English. I wished that I had Algebra 2 first. I hated math.

Two minutes before the first bell rang, we made our class. Our English teacher, Miss Jones, was very strict. Anyone who came in after the first was considered late. In fact, she always ruined everyone's peace of mind, and made everyone hate her class. And that was saying something because I loved English. Gabrielle said that if her boyfriend Donald was fucking her right, she wouldn't have such a large pole up her ass. Perhaps so, but it shocked me that she said something like that.

Once everybody was in class, Miss Jones strolled into the room. "Good morning, class," she proclaimed, looking uptight as usual.

"Good morning," a few of us responded.

Miss Jones stood behind her desk and pulled a stack of papers out of her valise. "I thought we would start the day," she remarked, "with a pop quiz."

Nearly everyone groaned in annoyance, myself included. I officially detested her now. Bitch!

Luckily, it was on the book we were reading-_Night_, by Elie Wiesel. I had read all of it a few days ago, so the quiz was a breeze. For some of the other students, however, it was a bit more difficult.

It took nearly a half an hour whole class to finish the test. Miss Jones collected them and told us to take out our books and read chapter two.

I had just started when I heard a distant BOOM. But I didn't think about it. To me, it was just one of the sounds of the city. Probably a car accident or something of that sort.

Several minutes later, someone knocked on the door frantically. Miss Jones answered it. "Yes?" she queried.

I turned around to see her speaking to another teacher. I watched as her expression changed from confusion to horror.

"Oh, my God," she breathed. "Are you serious?"

The other teacher nodded. She looked as if she were close to tears.

Miss Jones covered her mouth.

"It would be best if we started to send the students home. Get them to call their parents," the other teacher whispered.

I frowned. I was beginning to feel seriously worried. What the hell was going on?

"I will. Thank you," Miss Jones said quietly.

She closed the door and stood in front of the classroom again. "May I have your attention, please! I have an important announcement to make!"

Everybody looked up.

Miss Jones was fidgeting. "I'm afraid that I have some very terrible news."

Oh no.

Gulping, Miss Jones continued. "Two American Airlines planes and two United Airlines planes were hijacked early this morning. O-One of them, American Airlines Flight 11, crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center minutes ago, at 8:46..."

"W-WHAT?" I shrieked, my face going numb. Many of the other students, including Gabrielle, pivoted to stare at me. Gabrielle's face mirrored my own.

"Yes," Miss Jones confirmed, shooting me a pitying glance. "And because of what happened, we are dismissing students early. The seniors are being sent home right away, but everyone else has to go to the cafeteria to wait for their parents. For those of you who do not have cell phones, I advise you to go the main office and call your parents from there. Hurry up and pack your things. There will be no homework."

As I put my books in my backpack, my mind raced in fear. Mom, Charlie and Phil would have been in that tower by now. Were they okay? Had the plane crashed into one of their sections of the building? Charlie's office was in the lower middle portion, and Renee and Phil worked about ten floors higher. I threw my bag onto my back and sped out of the classroom along with everyone else.

Once I was in the cafeteria, I called Renee. The phone rang, but she didn't answer. I hung up and called Charlie. He didn't pick up either. Nor did Phil.

I tried to comfort myself by noting that at least none of their phones went straight to voicemail, but it didn't help.

I continued to call them for the next few minutes, but they still didn't answer. I could feel a panic attack coming, but I fought against it and excused myself to go to the bathroom.

But the bathroom was not my destination. Instead, after I turned the corner, I made my to the nearest fire exit.

No one was in the hallway, so it was easy to sneak through the door. I tiptoed down the stairs and out of the door.

"Hey! That girl over there is leaving without a parent or guardian!" a man yelled.

Damn! Fuck!

I sprinted down the street without looking back. My pursuer followed behind me, his footsteps landing heavily on the pavement.

Up ahead was a crowd of people walking in my direction. I timed their position, then ran through them and then into an alleyway on my right. To my relief the man, who was one of Clearview's security guards, sped past and didn't notice me.

I sighed, then rushed onto the next block. From there, I could see smoke streaming out of the top section of the North Tower.

This was not good!

I had to go to Manhattan right now. To get there, I would have to catch the 74 or the 59 bus that crossed the Brooklyn bridge. Hopefully, my parents and Phil were already leaving the building.

As I gazed at the North tower again, I saw an airplane swooping towards the city. It dipped low, and then-BOOM! It crashed into the South Tower!

NO!

_Shit! Shit! Shit!_

_Why was this happening?_

_What the fuck was going on?_

I glanced up the street, wishing that the bus would hurry the hell up. I really needed to get to Manhattan before another horrible catastrophe occurred. I had to find Mom, Charlie and Phil before anything could happen to _them_!

I had to!


	3. Chapter 2: Hijackers and The Girl

(A/N: Some of the events in this chapter have been changed slightly, but I stick to the main points. I do NOT own Twilight...sadly.)

**Carlisle's POV**

My name is Carlisle Cullen. I was born in London, England in the year 1640. My mother, Hannah, died after she gave birth to me, so I spent the next twenty years living with my father Benjamin. Even though I never knew my mother, I missed her very much. Sometimes, when Father wasn't looking, I would stare at her portrait for hours. The only thing that I inherited from her was her blue eyes. Other than that, I almost completely resembled my father, except that he had gray eyes.

Father, who was an Anglican pastor, had brought me up according to the ways of God and the Bible. By the time I was sixteen, I knew everything else there was to know about them. I could even recite all of the Scriptures by heart. He also told me about hunting in raids for vampires, werewolves, and witches, claiming that they were one of the main factors that brought evil and corruption to the world.

When I was twenty-three, I became a pastor in Father's church. In addition to that, he put me in charge of the raids, for he was becoming too old to lead them himself.

Unfortunately, my first raid had ended in a shambles, so to speak. Unlike my father, I knew that the vampires hid in the London sewers. When we went to confront them, one of them bit me on the neck and murdered the others. I crawled into a vegetable cellar as the venom spread through my body and hid there.

For three nights, I was in pain. Excruciating, unendurable pain. Thankfully, I was somehow able to keep the screams that threatened to tear through my mouth at bay.

After the transformation, I never returned home again. If my father knew what I had become, he would have had me killed. I gathered whatever clothes I had and ran away to the country. I wanted to be as far away from humans as possible, for I did not intend to become a murderer. I never wanted to kill anyone-I would rather help people when they needed it-even if it was necessary to drink their blood to keep myself alive.

Of course, I realized that starving myself wouldn't kill me at all. Over the next three months, I went through a period of self-loathing because of what I had become. I attempted suicide in many ways, such as throwing myself off of a cliff and drowning myself, to name a couple of them. Mostly, I refrained from coming in contact with humans, thus causing me to starve. But it was what I wanted. I couldn't live with myself, knowing that just being a vampire labeled me a murderer. I wanted to die. I _deserved_ to. I soon found out that it was not easy to destroy yourself by those means if you were a vampire.

By the end of the third month, I was greatly weakened from thirst. I became so thirsty in fact, that late one evening while I was wandering in the woods, I attacked a herd of deer that was passing by. The smell of their blood made my throat burn more then ever, and I was desperate for relief.

As I drank the deer's blood, I felt my strength returning to me. The burning in my throat lessened into nothing.

No one could imagine my joy when I discovered that I didn't have to drink human's blood to survive. I thought, _If I can survive on animals' blood, then I wouldn't be a killer at all. I can be different. _Then I whooped and screamed and shouted praises to the heavens. Which was rather unlike myself; I normally had a very tranquil disposition. But I was so ecstatic that I couldn't keep my happiness inside me.

From there, I swam to France, where the next stage of my life began. Remembering my ambitions to help people, I studied the arts. However, I could only study at night because it was too dangerous for me to go out during the daytime. My skin sparkled whenever the sun shone on me.

Eventually, my studies led me to Volterra, Italy, where I later met a trio of vampires known as Volturi Kings. Their names were Aro, Caius, and Marcus. They had more civility than other vampires, but they still drank the blood of humans. We tried to convert each other into our individual lifestyles, but it didn't work. After twenty years, I left them.

In the 1900s, I traveled to the United States of America and made my way to Chicago. In 1918, I met seventeen-year-old Edward Anthony Masen Jr., my future adopted son, who was dying of Spanish Influenza.

His father had already died hours before. Elizabeth, Edward's mother, begged me to change him. Somehow, she had found out what I was.

After she died a few minutes later, I granted her wish. I took Edward to the apartment that I lived in and changed him. After the transformation, I quickly found out that he could read minds when he answered questions I had not even voiced yet.

I was glad that I finally had a companion. The past two hundred plus years had been very lonely.

Together, Edward and I went Wisconsin, where I took a job at another hospital. While there, I encountered Esme Anne Platt, a woman who had attempted suicide by jumping off a cliff. She later told me that she did it because she couldn't bear to live after her son died only a few days after his birth. Because the other doctors thought she was dead, she was immediately sent to the morgue. But I had heard her faint heartbeat.

When I saw her, I immediately recognized her. I had treated her ten years ago, when she was seven years old. She had broken her leg after falling out of a tree.

Now, when I went to the morgue to check on her, I saw that the bones in most of her extrimities had been crushed. Also, she had several broken ribs and numerous bruises. I knew that she wouldn't survive for much longer, so after much thought, I changed her too.

After injecting the venom into her, I brought her to my house. Edward was spellbound as soon as he laid eyes on her. Once Esme had awakened from her transformation, she was captivated by him as well. It was then I understood that they were mates. Aro had told me once how vampires become instantly bonded when they found their true other half. In the middle of the next year, 1922, Edward and Esme were married.

Eleven years later, we moved to Rochester, New York. Instead of Edward and Esme posing as my adopted son and daughter, we gave people the impression that we were all siblings. I worked nights in a hospital there as I did everywhere else. But neither Edward, Esme, or I mixed with society. We didn't want to draw too much attention to ourselves.

One night in December, as I was taking a walk, I could smell the scent of human blood on the wind. By now, I was almost immune to it, so it did not call to me like it did most vampires, except my family half of the time. They still had some trouble following what I call my "vegetarian" diet. However, no matter how many mistakes they had made, I still loved them and never became too angry with them.

Nevertheless, I followed the trail of this scent. Someone may have gotten hurt.

Surely enough, I found young Rosalie Hale lying in a pool of blood. She was nearly dead. Her father was a prominent banker and her family was the wealthiest in town. Which was saying something because the country was in the middle of the Great Depression. Without thinking, I took her to my home at the edge of the town and changed her.

When she realized what I had done to her after her transformation, Rosalie was furious with me. She did not want to be saved from death, and I had ruined the chance for her to have children. To grow old. To have all of the possibilities a human life could give her.

She only became more enraged when I explained to her that I changed her so that her life would not be wasted at such a young age. She was only eighteen after all. Rosalie would hear none of this, and even though she agreed to live with me and my family, she did not speak to me for a month.

Gradually, she opened up to me and accepted me as her father. She began to tell me stories about what her life was like before her transformation. Surprisingly, she remembered it more than I remembered my own human life. She also told me why she was laying in the street the night I changed her. Her ex-fiance, Royce King II, and a group of his friends had raped her and left her for dead. She told me that she had gotten her revenge on them after she became a vampire. This explained her five-day absence from that time.

Two years later, when we were living in Tennesee, Rosalie came to me with a man who looked to be around the age of twenty. He had been mauled by a bear in the woods, and she wanted me to change him to spare his life, although she didn't tell me why. I agreed to it, however, and did as she wished.

Once the man woke up from his transformation, he identified himself as Emmett McCarty. He was indeed twenty years old, and had lived in the town of Gatlinburg.

Emmett adjusted to our vegetarian lifestyle quickly, with only two or three accidents. In fact, he felt no resentment towards me at all for changing him into a vampire, unlike the others. So, it wasn't hard for him to see me as his father.

It did not take long for me to notice that Emmett was spending almost all of his time with Rosalie. They went on hunting trips together...alone, I may add. It did not bother me much because after a while, they discovered that they were each other's mate, and they got married six months later.

In 1941, we moved to Hoquiam, Washington. The cloudy weather allowed us to stay out during the day, as our skin did not sparkle. One evening, while everyone except Esme were hunting, we came across werewolves that turned into Native American men. They introduced themselves as the Quileute Indians from the La Push reservation. The leader of the pack, Ephraim Black, told us that they did not take kindly to us hunting on their lands. If I had not stepped up, the situation would have ended badly for me and my family. Eventually, we formed a treaty and set up a boundary line. As long as we didn't cross that line, or bite a human, they wouldn't reveal to the humans that we were vampires. After everything was settled, my family and I relocated to Forks, another town in Washington that wasn't very far from Hoquiam.

Nine years later, we encountered two nomadic vampires named Jasper Lee Whitlock and his mate Alice. As soon as Alice saw me, I had the feeling that she already knew who I was, even though we had never met. Soon, she told me that she had visions of our family and where we were. That was how she found us, which explained how she knew me.

Alice fit into our family like a glove. Jasper took a longer time getting accustomed to our lifestyle than she or any other member of the family had. Before he had found Alice, Jasper had been a part of the southern vampire wars since the middle of the Civil War, when he was a major in the Confederate Army. He had fed off of many humans, but since he could feel everything his victims could (he was pathokinetic), this began to depress him. He was eager to try a new way of life. Sadly, he had problems controlling his bloodlust.

Throughout the years, my family and I traveled to most of the northern states and Canada. We never stayed in the same area for long to keep ourselves from drawing too much attention. Sometimes, we lived together and at others we didn't. Each couple wanted time to themselves, so for months at a time, I was alone. However, there were times when Edward and Esme, Alice and Jasper, or Emmett and Rosalie would allow me to stay with them so that I could have some company.

I was happier when all of us lived together at the same time. However, I was often a little envious of my children because they had mates and I did not. Edward, Jasper, and Rosalie understood how lonely I felt and sympathized with me. In fact, I was beginning to think that I would never meet my one true mate.

Until that special day, when the terrorists crashed into the World Trade Center.

_September 11, 2001-7:50 am_

I was sitting in my armchair by the fireplace in my living room working on something on my laptop. The curtains blocked out the sunshine and the view of upper and lower Manhattan. Alice and Jasper, who were staying with me, were in their bedroom doing I-don't-know-what-and-don't-care.

We have been living here in New York City for six years now, and planned to stay until mid-January. I worked five nights a week at Lenox Hill Hospital. Alice and Jasper took night classes at City College of New York. So did the others. During the day, we rarely left the house unless it was cloudy. On the weekends we when took hunting trips. Edward and Esme lived a two blocks away, while Emmett and Rosalie were renting a house seven blocks from here. Soon, we would be moving back to Denali, Alaska.

Right now, I was basking in the silence of my two-bedroom, fourth floor apartment. I finished doing what I needed to do on my laptop several minutes later. I was reaching for a novel on my bookshelf when Alice drifted into the room with a fearful expression, followed by Jasper. I was instantly concerned, for Alice was usually a very happy and lively person.

"What is wrong, my dear?" I queried.

Her eyes moved back and forth, not seeing me even though she was peering at me. She was having one of her psychic visions.

"Carlisle, it's...it's terrible! Some people are planning to hijack four airplanes. Two American Airlines flights and two United Airlines planes!" she exclaimed.

I stared at her in dismay. "When do they plan to do this?"

Unshed tears well up in her eyes. "Now. One of the American Airlines, Flight 11, took off a minute ago from Boston. Another one from Boston, United Airlines Flight 175, is leaving at 8:14! And American Airlines Flight 77 is due leave Virginia's Washington Dulles Airport at 8:20 and United Airlines Flight 93 is leaving Newark at 8:42. It's all part of a terrorist scheme on America." Alice leaned into Jasper. "All of those poor people! I'm so scared of what could happen to them!" she sobbed.

Jasper embraced her tightly as she cried into his shoulder. "Shhh, darlin'," he whispered, sending waves of calm and comfort to her.

I was quiet, absorbing the news that Alice had brought us. What a horrible ordeal those poor, nonsuspecting people were about to face. In some way, I wish I could help them all, but I knew that it was hopeless.

For a short while, none of us moved. We just stood in the same spot as the minutes ticked away. Alice would stiffen at times, searching through her visions.

"Oh, my God," Alice murmured at 8:23. "The hijackers on Flight 11 and Flight 175 are stabbing the pilots to death. They're terrorizing the other passengers with mace, tear gas, and fake bombs. Why is this happening to them? Why doesn't anyone try to stop them?"

"Perhaps someone will. There is hope yet," I tried to assure her, stroking her back.

But of course, I soon found out that there was no hope.

As the minutes passed, Alice became more and more agitated. She grabbed her hair with both fists. She wept, but wouldn't tell us what was going on. Jasper attempted to settle her down, but to no avail. Meanwhile, the both of us grew more worried by the second.

Just when I believed that things couldn't get much worse, Alice collasped.

"NO! NO!" she yelled at the top of her lungs.

I didn't have to ask her what she was shouting about, for a moment later, there was a tremendous BOOM nearby in lower Manhattan. And then I heard screams.

I scrambled to the window and threw aside the curtain. Alice and Jasper stood beside me.

The top portion of North Tower's World Trade Center was up in flames and smoke. Even from this distance, I could see people scattering in every direction. "Alice! What happened?" I demanded in alarm.

"Flight 11 crashed into that building. The hijackers flew into it on purpose! Everyone in the crash site and in the airplane are dead!" Alice explained, stricken.

Jasper's phone rang a second later.

"Emmett, we know," Jasper said after he answered it. "Alice saw what was going to happen before it did."

"What's going on?" Emmett hollered on his end.

"Alice said that four airlines had been hijacked about forty-five minutes ago. Just now, the hijackers on American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower on purpose."

"Holy shit! Are you serious?"

"I wish I were lyin', but I am serious."

Edward called me just after he said this.

I flipped open my cell phone. "Yes, Edward?"

"I know you already know what happened. I was wondering if you needed Esme and I to come over."

"No, that's fine son. Stay where you are. It is too dangerous for you to go outside right now. Someone could see you."

Sighing, Edward remarked, "Okay. If anything else happens, I'll call. Bye."

Then he hung up.

I gazed out of the window as continued to keep an eye on the situation. Whenever Alice had any new information, Jasper would bring Emmett up to date. Edward could read her mind, so he was most likely telling Esme about what was going on too.

Suddenly, Alice gasped.

I turned around to see her not looking distressed, but puzzled.

"Alice? What is it this time?" I inquired nervously.

She blinked. "It's a girl running. Someone is chasing her..."

Frowning, I asked, "On one of the airplanes?"

"No, in Brooklyn. I can tell by one of the stores. She had just left her school to...to find her parents and her stepfather. She keeps planning to go to the North Tower."

"But why? It's too dangerous to do that!"

Alice paused for a few seconds. "Her parents and stepfather work there. But apparently she knows they aren't dead for some reason. They must not have been working where the plane crashed."

Without knowing the reason for it, I was becoming very interested in this girl. "Where is she now?"

She held up a finger. "She's at a bus stop, waiting for the 59 or the 74. Carlisle...you have to get to her."

"For what, Alice?"

"I don't know...but I can't shake the feeling that she's important to us, but mostly to you in some way. However, I'm not sure why at the moment. After all, I've had visions of other people, but none of them stood out. And if she were anyone else, my visions wouldn't be focused on her right now...OH NO!"

Alice pointed out of the window. Jasper and I looked where she was indicating.

To the west, I saw an airplane descending rapidly. It swooped, leveled, and then I saw it plunge into the South Tower. Another BOOM echoed across Manhattan, not to mention the yelling. I distinctly heard Esme and Rosalie shriek, and Edward and Emmett utter an obscenity.

Alice, Jasper, and I were rooted to the spot, our mouths agape in horror.

I didn't understand any of this. Why would anyone want to attack the World Trade Center?

What was going to happen next? Would there be another attack on New York City?

_More importantly, what was the girl that Alice saw doing now?_ a voice in my head questioned.

**(A/N: PLEASE, PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW OR ANY SUGGESTIONS YOU HAVE! [NO FLAMES, PLEASE. I WILL ONLY IGNORE THEM!])**


	4. Chapter 3: Rescue Mission & Catastrophes

**Bella's POV**

_9:10am_

Finally, after waiting for what seemed like hours, the 74 bus rolled down the street. I jumped onto it, paid the fare, and sat down in the back. Out of the window, I saw the security guard from Clearview turn onto the block as the bus pulled away. Whew! I was glad the bus came when it did.

I tried to settle down, knowing that the ride would take about a half an hour or more due to traffic. However, I just couldn't do it. I kept turning to look at the North and South Towers. Smoke was continuing to rise out of both of them. I called Mom, Charlie, and Phil again, but there was still no answer. I started to bite my nails.

The lady in front of me also peered out of the window and shook her head. She looked to be around thirty years old. "I can't believe that those planes were intentionally crashed into those towers. What a gruesome way for those people to die."

"Excuse me?" I gasped in horror, not believing my ears.

The lady swiveled in her seat. "You didn't know that the hijackers meant to fly into the North and South Towers?"

I shook my head, newfound dread welling up inside me. "No."

"Hmm. No, it isn't likely you would have known," the lady remarked. "You were probably just sent home from school. It's all a part of this terrorist plot on the country. This wouldn't be happening if Bush hadn't caused trouble by sending our troops to the Middle East. The countries they were sent to weren't doing anything to America at all."

I just gazed at her wordlessly.

The lady scowled in wonder. "Where are you heading to anyway? You don't live in Manhattan, do you?" she queried.

I shook my head slowly. "No, I live here in Brooklyn. I have to go to Manhattan to make sure that my parents and stepfather are out of the North Tower," I replied.

"WHAT? But why would your parents and stepfather be in that building? Do they work there?"

"Yes. My mom and stepfather are interpreters and my dad works as the Head Security Officer."

"Oh. You should just go home. It's not safe to be anywhere near those buildings."

"I know, but I _have_ to find them. If something happens to them, I don't have anywhere else to go! I have no other family!"

The lady went to grab my arm, but I shifted away from her. I didn't allow strangers to touch me. "Don't be foolish, child! You could get yourself hurt by risking your life! Go home where you'll be safe!"

Shaking my head again, I said no. "I have to find them," I repeated firmly.

When she realized that I wasn't going to change my mind, the lady sighed in bitter defeat and turned away.

Twenty-five minutes later, at the last bus stop before the Brooklyn Bridge, the lady stood. "Good-bye, child. Obviously, I can't keep you from doing what you feel you have to do. I hope you find your loved ones, though. But be careful! Don't get too close to those Towers!" she added.

I nodded. "Thanks. I'll try not to. Good-bye," I muttered.

The lady got off the bus. A moment later, it started to cross the bridge.

**Carlisle's POV**

_9:10am_

Alice, Jasper and I were still standing by the living room window. Ever since Flight 175 crashed into the World Trade Center's South Tower-as Alice told us minutes before-nothing else had happened.

Jasper's voice interrupted my thoughts. "What is it now, darlin'?" he inquired.

Glancing to my left, I saw Alice leaning against him, her eyes closed and her expression blank. A second later, she opened them. "Carlisle, the girl just got on the 74 bus. She'll arrive in lower Manhattan in about thirty to forty minutes. You'll have to walk down there because you can't use your car. There are a lot of traffic jams in that area," she stated.

I quirked an eyebrow. "What if someone sees me?" I demanded.

"They won't. I just thought of something," Alice said. She went to my bedroom and came out with a bundle of black clothing. "You can put the coat on to hide your arms and neck, the gloves to hide your hands, and this wide-brimmed hat."

"Good idea. Thank you."

I quickly donned the clothes while Alice gave me some more advice.

"Stick to the alleyways. The streets are crowded so it won't be easy trying to walk through them," she warned.

"Understood. What does the girl look like?" I asked.

Alice paused and shut her eyes once more. "Mahogany-brown hair, some red on the surface, dark brown under it. It goes straight down past her shoulders. Chocolate-brown eyes, a heart-shaped face that's somewhat like Esme's, but the chin area is not as prominent as hers. She's about five foot one. Slender. Smells like strawberries and freesia. She's very pretty."

"What type of clothes are she wearing?"

"A denim jacket with a white shirt underneath, dark blue jeans, and black sneakers. She's carrying a lavendar backpack."

"Age?"

"She looks to be around fourteen or fifteen. She definitely hasn't been in high school for very long. There you are. You look good. Sort of like a young Russian Bolshevik."

I rolled my eyes at her. Even though I was nervous, I couldn't help but smile a little at her teasing. "Shut up," I snorted.

Alice and Jasper chuckled.

I picked up my keys and medical bag, just in case I would need it. "I'll be back as soon as I find her."

"Bring her home safe," Alice murmured.

"I will. Good-bye."

"See you, Carlisle."

"Bye, Pop," Jasper added.

I nodded to them and left my apartment. I walked down the stairs, out of the building, and onto the street. The weather was spectacular. Who would have guessed that a terrorist scheme would be conducted on a day like this? The idea of it was barbaric!

As Alice had recommended, I made my way to lower Manhattan by using various alleyways. I jogged in human speed because if I ran in vampire speed someone would notice. There was not much chance of that, however. Everyone was so distraught over the events that had just occurred that they did not look at me more than twice, if at all. I bumped into several people, and was jostled by the crowds, but I continued on.

There was a life for me to save, and I aimed to save it.

**Bella's POV**

_9:41am_

The bus had crossed the bridge and was now in the middle of a traffic jam. We had been stuck in it for the past twelve minutes. Perfect.

I glimpsed at the cars passing by as I looked out of the window. Nearly all of them were taxis that were also trying to get into Manhattan. Most of them had paused to a stand-still, but there were a few that sped right past as if it were an empty road.

Seeing them gave me an idea. I went up to the bus driver. "Can you please let me off here, sir?" I inquired.

The bus driver nodded. "Sure, miss. Be careful out there!" he admonished.

"I will. Thank you, sir," I grinned before stepping onto the sidewalk. I strolled further up the block and hailed one of the taxis that were about to drive past me. One of them stopped almost immediately. The driver had a turban on his head.

"Drop me off five blocks from Liberty Street, please," I claimed in Arabic.

The driver was pleased and impressed. I don't think he expected me to know his language. "Yes, Missee Sahib," he smiled, sounding uncannily like Ram Dass from the 1939 version of the _A Little Princess_ movie. He started to drive again.

I noticed that everyone looked more and more frantic as we moved deeper into lower Manhattan. People were running and shouting out to others. Pointing in the direction of the World Trade Center. Fire truck and police sirens blared all over the place.

I peered closely at every single person I saw, trying to see if Mom, Charlie, or Phil were one of them, but none of them were. I kept calling them, but after a number of rings, their phones when to voicemail.

"So, Missee Sahib. Who taught you how to speak Arabic?" the driver asked curiously, in Arabic, of course.

I jumped. I wasn't expecting him to speak to me. "My mother and stepfather. They are interpreters." I responded in the same language.

The driver nodded thoughtfully. "Ahh. They taught you well. You know a great deal. Do you know any Hindustani as well? That is my other native tongue."

I jerked my head. "Oh yes. They taught me how to speak and understand Hindustani also," I replied, this time speaking Hindustani.

"Your mother and stepfather really _have_ taught you well! I am amazed of how much you know. At least you are not showing off or acting too proud. I can see that you are not."

We were only a few blocks from my destination when we were caught in another traffic holdup. Luckily, it was brief, and I reached my destination in no time. I looked at my watch. It was 9:54.

"_Choukran_," I said to the driver, getting out of the taxi after paying him.

"_âFowan_," he returned with a grin.

I shut the door and made my way to my destination.

(A/N: "Choukran" means "thank you." It is pronounced chu-KRON. "âFowan" means "You're welcome." It's really spelled that way. The small A before the F is pronounced like the main or stressed A in_ Château._)

**Carlisle's POV**

_9:54am_

I was three blocks away from lower Manhattan when I received a text message from Alice.

_The girl just got off of a taxi five blocks away from Liberty Street. You better hurry!-A_

I sent a reply. _Thank you-C _

I quickened my pace, hoping that I would find the girl soon.

**Bella's POV**

_Same time_

Because the streets were full of people bustling to and fro, it was proving difficult to get to where I needed to go. People collided into me and I was shoved from all sides.

"Excuse me," I huffed, squeezing past a few individuals.

"Watch it!" someone snapped at me.

"Sorry!" I called over my shoulder.

It took me two minutes just to get to the end of the block. I crossed the street and was faced with the same problem. But the Twin Towers, which were still pouring out smoke, loomed closer. At least I _was_ getting somewhere.

I called Mom and Charlie and Phil several more times to let them know that I was nearby, but there was still no answer. I grew even more worried. "Damn it!" I hissed.

There were three blocks to go now. Hopefully, they had left the North Tower by now and would meet me halfway. Maybe they had already gone home and were searching for me. But then, if they wanted to find me, they would have called.

Suddenly, I heard a ear-splitting CRUNCH, and the ground began to tremble.

"RUN! RUN!" a man yelled at the top of his lungs, bolting in the opposite direction of where I was headed.

Pivoting, I saw why and was immobilized by fear and dismay.

The South Tower was collapsing right before my very eyes. The earth shook more violently than ever. Smoke and debris belched out of the building as one floor smashed into another.

Holy. _Fuck_!

Everyone outside raced down the street or into shops. There were screams of terror all about me. Confusion. Panic. Sobs. Disorder. And I was still unable to move. I just gazed open-mouthed at the South Tower as it continued to fall and as the ground quaked even more.

A large cluster of people galloped towards me as a thick, massive cloud of dust rolled in the air after them.

I unfroze then and dashed into the craft shop next to me to keep from being trampled by the advancing horde. I was just in time too. The dust cloud swept by, fogging up the store's windows.

"OH, MY GOD!" one of the cashiers shrieked. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?"

I attempted to give her a reply, but couldn't speak. Someone else answered her instead.

"The South Tower collapsed."

The cashier's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh, my God!" she repeatly softly.

I sat down in a corner of the shop next to a girl and hugged my knees to my chest. I rocked back and forth, taking deep breaths.

The girl placed a hand on my shoulder. She didn't look much older than me. "Are you okay?" she queried in concern.

"No," I responded in a 'duh' voice. "Why would I be? My parents work in the North Tower! What if something happened to them when the South Tower collapsed?"

"Hopefully, nothing did. I'm sure they're fine."

I just shrugged. If I were her, I wouldn't be quite so certain.

**Carlisle's POV**

_9:56am_

I had finally arrived at my destination. Giving an unnecessary sigh of relief (for vampires did not need to breathe. Hence we could not drown or suffocate) I took my cell phone out and prepared to texting Alice. She sent a message just before I could type one letter.

_You're close to the girl; she's only three blocks down and two blocks to the right from you, still heading towards Liberty Street-A _

I thanked her and put my phone in my pocket. Liberty Street was seven blocks away. If I didn't get held up, I could cut through the two righthand streets very quickly by using the alleyways.

Of course, nothing went the way I planned. The streets were overflowing with people on the phone, talking to others, and running around, many of them searching for someone as I was.

"Have you seen this man?" one person asked another breathlessly.

"Do you know where mom is?" a girl around sixteen inquired in a dismal, pleading voice.

I was glad when it took only a couple more minutes to get through the next two streets. I was about to make my way to the girl when I received another text message.

_CARLISLE, YOU NEED TO SEEK SHELTER!-A_

I frowned in bewilderment. _Certainly, Alice, but why?-C_

Just as she sent a reply, there was an exceedingly loud CRASH. Then lower Manhattan erupted in screams, and the earth rumbled. I glanced up to see the South Tower of the World Trade Center collapsing. My mouth fell open in blank horror. _Oh no!_ I said to myself.

"RUN! RUN!" I heard a man bellow a few blocks away.

I didn't have to be told twice. I spun around and tried to run into the nearest store, but it proved nearly impossible to do so. If they streets were filled with chaos before, it was now pandemonium. People were scattering all over the place, making it hard to even move.

A cloud of dust and debris mushroomed from the South Tower as it continued to crumble to the ground. A group of people fled from it, but it was rapidly overtaking them. I wanted to keep looking for the girl, but it would seem strange to other people if I was caught wandering around in the smoke without coughing.

Finally, I was able to get into a small grocery market. Several others followed me inside. The cloud of dust rushed past the window, obscuring the view of the street.

"Did you see that?" a woman gasped.

"I can't believe that this is happening!" another yelled tearfully.

I stood by a crate of oranges and sent Alice a text message. _Is the girl safe? Did she find shelter?-C _

I would never forgive myself if I had failed to get to her.

My phone vibrated. _Don't worry, Carlisle. She's all right; she's in the craft store three blocks away-A_

_Good-C_ I replied, exhaling deeply. As long as the girl wasn't harmed, everything was wonderful.

**Bella's POV**

_10:05 am_

The dust cloud was thinning little by little as I huddled in the corner of the craft store. It was still too thick to see anything clearly, however, so I would have to wait a while to find my family.

The girl next to me gazed in the direction I was looking. "It's crazy, everything that's going on this morning. Those poor people. I feel so sorry for them," she murmured softly.

I didn't comment. I wished that she would be quiet. She talked too much for my liking.

Unfortunately, the girl chose this moment to speak to me. "What are you doing down here anyway, knowing what happened?" she asked.

"Looking for my parents and my stepfather. I'm trying to see if they made it out of the North Tower okay, but they won't answer my phone calls."

"They're likely just too worried to pick up the phone. If they haven't left the building yet, then they're probably too busy trying to get out."

Reflecting on that, I decided that she was almost certainly correct. If I were them, I wouldn't likely have noticed that my phone was ringing either. "Maybe they'll call me back soon," I conceded.

The girl bobbed her head. "Yeah. Maybe."

I said nothing else to her. I wasn't intending to be rude, but I wasn't in the mood for having another conversation. The girl seemed to take the hint and grew silent.

The minutes passed by sluggishly. The smoke grew less thick, and by 10:19, it was nearly gone. I began to see people filtering out of the stores across the street. Here was my chance!

I stood up and readjusted my bookbag before leaving the shop.

"Hey! Don't go back out there!" the girl yelled after me.

I ignored her and started to jog down the block. The girl said something else, but I didn't hear her. Her voice was lost in the wind.

**Carlisle's POV**

_10:18am_

Less than twenty minutes had passed since that South Tower had collapsed. The cloud of smoke that was opaque at that time had faded to almost nothing. Nearly everyone that was in the market were getting ready to go. I prepared to leave myself.

"The sooner I'm out of here, the better," one of them announced.

"I couldn't agree more," I proclaimed, causing the person to smile.

My cell phone's text message ringer sounded. I took it out of my medical bag. _The girl just left the craft shop. She running to Liberty Street right now. Move quickly, the impact site of the North Tower is growing weaker by the minute!-A_

_I'm on it!-C_

"Excuse me, please. Medical emergency," I declared, weaving my way through the crowd of people at the door.

"Ouch! Pay attention, mister! That was my foot!" a man hollered at me.

"I apologize wholeheartedly, sir."

The man stared at me as if I had lost my mind. I really needed to start talking to people in the modern English language.

Once I had exited the market, I sprinted down the block as fast as I possibly could. Since people had left their safety refuges, it was jam-packed again.

But I refused to let this hinder me. I was on an important mission.

**Bella's POV**

_10:20am_

I pelted down the once again crowded street. I was now a block away from the North Tower, and at the rate I was moving, I wasn't going to get there by tomorrow. I pushed through several individuals impatiently before crossing over to the next block.

Many people turned as I raced by them. "Why are you going _that_ way?" one of them demanded.

I didn't respond. I just kept running.

As I was about to finally cross Liberty Street, I saw that my path was obstructed by nine fire trucks and eight police cars.

I searched for a way to get around them without being noticed and found an alleyway behind me. I darted through it. Seconds later I was crossing where Liberty Street intersected with Church Street.

There was rubble everywhere, but I avoided it and ran along Church Street. I glanced at my watch. It said 10:25.

**Carlisle's POV**

_10:22am_

Two blocks away from Liberty Street, another message appeared on my phone.

_Cross through the alleyway in ahead of you and go down Church Street-A_

I did as she instructed. I was getting close!

**Bella's POV**

_10:25am_

It took me less than a minute to get to the corner of Church Street and onto Vesey Street. The North Tower was further up the block. I was almost there. I wanted to cheer.

My phone rang and I stopped to answer it. "Hello!" I panted.

"Bella?" Mom's panicked voice drifted through the phone. FINALLY! It was about time she called me back!

"MOM! Oh, Mom, where are you?" I yelled, pausing once more.

"Charlie, Phil and I are still in the building, but we're on the ninth floor."

"I'm down the street. I'll meet you inside."

"Okay."

**Carlisle's POV**

_Same time_

_She's on Vesey Street-A_ a new message said.

_I'm halfway there!-C_

I edged up the block faster.

**Bella's POV**

_10:26am_

I started to bolt down the street again, continuing to speak to Mom.

"Are you guys okay?" I queried.

"We're perfectly fine. Are _you_ okay?" Mom demanded.

"Yes."

"Where are you now?"

"A few feet away."

"Good. We're on the fifth floor."

While she was saying this and made a left and sprinted through the huge courtyard.

**Carlisle's POV**

_10:28am_

I was now in the middle of Vesey Street, heading towards the North Tower, which loomed overhead.

There was no sign of the girl, since debris from the South Tower was piled high between me and the North Tower. I could smell her scent, however. It was a very appealing one. Maybe a bit too appealing.

I had almost reached the spacious courtyard when I saw a lavendar backpack bobbing ahead of me, slightly to my left. There she was, at the entrance! Even from this far, I could see that she was speaking on the phone to somebody.

"Mom, I'm here now," she was saying. Her deep, lithe, melodic voice drifted back to me.

Wait a minute. _Lithe?_ _Melodic? Where was this coming from?_

And then a second catastrosphe occurred right at that moment, jerking me from my thoughts.

The North Tower started to collapse! The girl began to dash away from it when she fell. Debris pelted down towards the ground, towards her.

I jogged to the girl at half-vampire speed. Would I make it to her in time?

**Bella's POV**

_Same time_

I was panting to catch my breath, standing by the door. I was about to open it. "Mom, I'm here now," I gasped.

Suddenly, before Mom could reply, there was a deafening BOOM above me. I covered my ears, then glanced at the sky.

_THE BUILDING WAS BEGINNING TO COLLAPSE! FUCK!_

"MOM! HURRY! THE TOWER'S COLLASPING!"

"I KNOW! I KNOW! WE'RE COMING! JUST RUN!"

I turned and started to race away from the building. I had ran five paces before I tripped and fell, scraping my knee. SHIT! This was the end of me! I was now going to die because of my foolish, inopportune clumsiness! WHAT. THE. FUCK! But...at least I would die near the people I loved so much, who would surely take the trip to heaven with me. I would see them again soon.

And perhaps that wouldn't be so bad.

I grabbed my phone as the earth quaked fiercely. "MOM! DAD! PHIL! I LOVE YOU!" I bellowed, praying that they heard me.

And they did. "WE LOVE YOU TOO!" they yelled with the emotion strong in their voices.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a colossal piece of granite shooting down at me.

I shouted in fright and covered my head.

This was the end!

**(A/N: Oh, my God! _What a chapter_! Just typing it made _me_ feel nervous, jumpy, and scared! At the end, I just felt tears coming to my eyes. *Sniffles, on the verge of sobbing.* _PLEASE REVIEW!_ Let me know what your opinions are!)**


	5. Chapter 4: A New Family & Revelations

**Carlisle's POV**

_10:29am _

I noticed that an enormous chunk of granite was about to crash down on the girl. I sprang forward and grabbed her not a second too soon; behind me, I heard the granite smash onto the ground. Without thinking twice, I darted out of the courtyard.

**Bella's POV**

_Same time_

_Continuing from last chapter..._

_Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a colossal piece of granite shooting down at me._

_I shouted in fright and covered my head._

_This was the end!_

The next thing I knew, I was off of the ground, and it felt as if I were floating in the air. For a second, I thought that the piece of granite had finished me off, but I could still hear the now ear-splitting rumble of the tower collasping. I could feel myself shaking too. Also, someone's arm was wrapped around me, carrying me bridal style. No, I wasn't dead.

I glanced up to see the most handsomest man that I had ever seen in my entire life. His skin was pale, about three to five shades paler than mine. And that was saying something because my skin itself was very pale, more than my family's and my friends'. He was looking straight ahead, so I couldn't see his eyes. His nose was somewhat long and pointed, but in an elegant way.

The man continued to run until we were inside a paint shop. How did we get away from the tower so quickly? I couldn't have made it that far if I ran my fastest.

The man sat me down in a secluded corner. "Are you all right, miss?" he demanded urgently in a soft, sweet musical voice. It sounded like an etheral, unearthly song. And it had a faint British undertone, but sounded mostly American. It was an exquisite mixture. He peered at me with honey-gold eyes. Strange. I had never seen anyone with such gorgeous yellow eyes before. They were so entrancing; I couldn't have looked away if I wanted to. I could feel my cheeks tingling and my heart skip under his intense gaze. His lips, full and rosy red, were parted in worry. I wondered if he was real, or even human. He was just too beautiful to be a human! He looked like Zeus' better-looking younger brother, or Adonis, or Cupid, or...

"Are you an angel?" I whispered in awe.

The man gave a small chuckle. "No, I am not an angel. What is your name? How old are you?" he inquired.

"Isabella Swan, but you can just call me Bella. I'm thirteen. I'll be fourteen in two days."

"Bella. It's such a pretty name. It means 'beautiful' in Italian, you know. And Happy Early Birthday to you."

"_Grazie_." (A/N: "Thank you.")

The man chortled again, this time in surprise. "Ah, _prego_! I didn't know you could speak Italian." (A/N: _Prego_ means "you're welcome.")

I smiled a little. "My mom and stepfather taught me."

Abruptly, I noticed how quiet it was. The earth wasn't trembling anymore. My vision was obscured by tears of grief and sorrow, and the man grew concerned.

"Bella? What is wrong?"

I let out a sob. "My parents...my stepfather. They were on their way out of the North Tower just when it collapsed. They were probably on the third or fourth floor, and now...and now..."

I started to weep heartbrokenly. Mom and Charlie and Phil were gone. I wasn't fast enough to saved them. They were that close to escaping the tower. And now they were gone, crushed to death. My body started to shake as I began to cry harder. Why couldn't I have saved them? I had such a big chance to, and I wasted it!

The man held me close and I laid my head on his shoulder. I felt oddly comforted...just a little anyway. I was too sad to feel any other emotions very much.

"I'm so sorry, Bella," I heard the man murmur gently in my ear, rubbing my back.

**Carlisle's POV**

_10:33am_ (A/N: After this, the time will not be shown.)

From the moment I gazed into the girl's eyes and asked if she was all right, I could barely find the will to stop staring at them. Her chocolate-brown doe eyes were so large and innocent. Her mahogany-brown hair, which had tiny bits of debris in them, still looked glossy. She was so beautiful, as if she were descended from one of the goddesses, like Aphrodite, Flora, Venus.

Then I mentally shook myself. I shouldn't be think of a teenager this way!

"Are you an angel?" the girl questioned, interrupting my thoughts.

I had to laugh. She was obviously as intrigued by me as I was with her. The only thing was that I wasn't allowed to be. "No, I am not an angel," I replied. "What is your name? How old are you?"

"Isabella Swan, but you can just call me Bella. I'm thirteen. I'll be fourteen in two days."

Bella. The name suited her. "Bella. It's such a pretty name. It means 'beautiful' in Italian, you know. And Happy Early Birthday to you."

"_Grazie_."

I was so shocked that I laughed again. I was not expecting her to say that. "Ah, _prego_! I didn't know you could speak Italian."

Bella grinned. "My mom and stepfather taught me."

Then she paused, as if she were listening intently to something. A second later, tears welled up in her eyes. Once more, I became worried.

"Bella, what is wrong?" I queried softly.

"My parents...my stepfather. They were on their way out of the North Tower just when it collapsed. They were probably on the third or fourth floor, and now...and now..." she faltered. I realized that she could not bear to say that her loved ones were dead. Poor girl.

Bella began to cry stormily. I was suddenly overcome by a fierce need to comfort her. Reaching out my arms, I embraced her. She rested her head on my shoulder. I stroked her back soothingly.

"I'm so sorry, Bella," I whispered.

We clung to each other for a long time as she continued to sob.

Finally, when she calmed down a bit, Bella drew back from me. "I'm sorry, sir. I shouldn't have cried on you. It was impolite, and I don't even know who you are," she croaked.

I patted her shoulder. "There is no offense taken, young lady. My name is Dr. Carlisle Cullen. You can call me Carlisle, or just Dr. Cullen." I sniffed then because could smell blood and looked down at her torn jeans. "Speaking of which, I need to check your knee," I observed. It would be horrible if Jasper attacked her because he noticed how bloody it was.

I took off my leather gloves and reached into my medical bag. After slipping on a pair of vinyl gloves, I lifted her leg to inspect her knee.

It had stopped bleeding a while ago, but she could still get an infection. I cleaned her knee with an antiseptic and placed a large bandage on it.

"There we are," I announced.

Bella smiled faintly at me. My dead heart felt warmer than it should have. What was the matter with me? "Thank you, Dr. Cullen," she mumbled. "And thank you so much for saving me back there. I really do appreciate it."

"You're welcome," I grinned. I turned to look out of the shop's window. The dust cloud was gone. "Do you have family here in New York City, Bella? I could find a way to get you to them, if need be."

She was shaking her head before I even finished my sentence, tears creeping into her eyes again. "No. My parents and stepfather were all I had until..." She stopped talking.

I bobbed my head in morose understanding. "Ah, I see. Well...I suppose you can stay with me and my family until we can figure something out. Would that be all right?"

Bella pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes, trying to see if she could trust me. A moment later, she nodded. "Sure. I really don't have much of a choice."

I stood and held my hand out to Bella to help her up. As soon as her hand touched mine, electricity surged through it, causing us both to jump back. Her astonishment and confusion mirrored my own.

_What was going on today?_

**Bella's POV**

When my hand came it contact with Carlisle's, bolts of static shocked me, yanking me out of my sorrow. I could tell that he felt it too because we jumped away from other at the same time. I stared at him wide-eyed, my mouth hanging open. He looked just as alarmed as I felt at that moment.

What the _hell_?

Carlisle and I gaped at each other for a long while. Suddenly, a phone rang from his pocket, distracting us. I peered at my shoes as Carlisle answered it.

**Carlisle's POV**

_Is Bella okay, Carlisle?-A_

_Yes, Alice, Bella is fine, although she's very upset about her family-C _I didn't have to ask how she knew Bella's name. She already saw her tell me.

A response came a minute later. _I know. :( You better bring her back here as soon as possible. I saw what just happened and we need to talk. Traffic is still pretty hectic where you are, but you can catch a taxi about six blocks from where you are. Traffic isn't too bad there-A_

_Thank you for letting me_ _know. We are on our way now. Oh, I need you to go shopping for groceries.-C_

_It's already being taken care of. Rosalie and Emmett are heading for the supermarket now. Don't worry, no one will see them-A_

_Thank them for me-C_

_I will. See you soon-A_

_Bye-C_

**Bella's POV**

When Carlisle was finish texting, he glanced at me and smiled. "That was my daughter, Alice. She was just making sure that I'm okay. I informed her that I was bringing you along with me," he stated.

I was taken aback. "You have a daughter?" I inquired.

"Yes, and I have five other children besides her. Two more daughters and three sons. All of them had just started college this year."

"Oh. You look very young to have so many kids."

Carlisle snickered lightly. "You're right; I am only twenty-nine, Bella. I adopted all of them."

I nodded pensively. "Are you married? Oh...nevermind. It's not my business."

He chuckled once more. He didn't seem offended by my questions at all. "You are unusually observant and inquisitive for someone your age. No, I am not married. I never even went on a date. I guess I haven't found the right person yet."

I was oddly happy about this without knowing why.

Carlisle waved an arm. "Let's go, Bella. My daughter's waiting. If I don't get home soon, she will throw a fit." He put his leather gloves back on.

"Is it cold out?" I asked, eyeing his clothes for the first time. He was wearing a black leather coat that hid his neck and a wide-brimmed black hat.

He turned to me. "No, it is not cold. My skin is very sensitive to the sun."

"Mmm."

"Come on."

I took Carlisle's hand so that I could stand up-thankfully I wasn't zapped again-and we left the shop. We searched for a taxi, but traffic was stalled because of what happened. People were still panicking, but not as much as before.

Carlisle and I walked six blocks to the north and found a half-clear street. He quickly hailed a cab and we sat in the back.

"Benson Street and Seventh Avenue, Upper Manhattan, please," he declared.

"Yes sir," the driver said, joining the stream of vehicles on the road.

**Carlisle's POV**

As the taxicab slowly made its way through the city, I leaned back into my seat, deep in thought.

How would my family react to meeting Bella? Would they be upset with me for bringing home a human? Jasper still struggled with his bloodlust; it was still difficult for him to even be around people. Besides that, Edward mentioned to me once that strawberry was his second-favorite scent (which was my main favorite with freesia as my second.) Mango was his first. Surely he would be able to restraint himself?

My cell phone rang with another text message from Alice. _It won't turn out so bad, Carlisle. Don't get a vampire headache over it. Bella and I will definitely be the best of friends. I like her already!-A_

Well, that was encouraging.

It took nearly an hour to get back home due to several traffic hold-ups. Bella and I got out of the taxi up the street from my apartment. I paid the driver and strolled down the block. As we drew closer to my home, I could smell every one of my children's aromas. We entered the building and climbed up the stairs.

_Here we go,_ I said to myself. And I opened the door.

**Bella's POV**

Carlisle's apartment was moderate-sized. Even though there were few pieces of furniture (a coffee bean-brown table and chairs in the kitchen, and a matching cream-colored armchair, love seat, and overstuffed sofa set) it didn't look barren or incomplete. In fact, it seemed comfortable. The brown walls gave the place an aura of warmth.

Directly in front of me was a bookshelf filled with novels. From here, I could recognize a couple, such as _Moll Flanders_ by Daniel Defoe and _Brave New World_ by Aldous Huxley (a completely weird story, in my opinion.)

My attention shifted when Carlisle laid a hand on my back and steered me gently over to a group of people in the kitchen. All of them had the same deep gold eyes as his, and they were just as beautiful. They were all wearing designer clothes. I was surrounded by a family of supermodels!

To my left stood a man with short, curly dark-brown hair, big broad shoulders, and huge muscles. He was tall, and he seemed menacing until you peered into his eyes, which were full of fun and good humor.

Next to him was a tall, statuesque woman with wavy blonde hair, which went halfway down her back. Just staring at her made me feel inadequate and self-conscious when it came to my own looks.

Beside her, standing a few feet apart, was a bronze-haired man. He was not as muscular as the curly brown-haired guy. He was somewhat shorter, and much lankier. He gazed at me with a puzzled expression.

Holding his hand was a woman with light golden-brown hair. She was shorter than him, and although she did not appear to be more than eighteen years old, she had a motherly face and figure.

To the right, there was a man with honey-blonde hair that went down to his shoulders. His physique was as lanky as the bronze-haired man, but he was more muscular than him. Still, the curly brown-haired guy was more muscular than both. The honey blonde-haired man seemed as if he were in pain, like someone was pinching him and wouldn't let go. He towered over everyone, including Carlisle. He had to be at least six foot four or six foot five feet tall.

And last but not least was woman several inches shorter than me, who was next to the honey-blonde. She had short, pixie-like black hair, and was extremely slender, even more than I was, and I was pretty skinny myself. She bounced up and down as if she were excited about something. As I stared at her, she beamed at me. I found myself smiling back.

Carlisle cleared his throat. "Everyone, I had someone for you to meet. This is Isabella Swan, but she likes to be called Bella. She will be staying here for a while. Bella, this is my son Emmett," he claimed, pointing to the curly brown-haired man.

"Hi there, Bella," Emmett greeted in a booming voice that made me jump. He reached out and shook my hand vigorously.

I almost jumped again. His hand was icy-cold, and it felt like stone or marble!

I grinned. "Hello, Emmett."

"And this is my daughter Rosalie, his wife..." Carlisle gestured to the wavy blonde-haired woman.

Did he say wife? Well, it wasn't like she was related to him, but still. It would take some time getting used to.

Rosalie smiled and grasped my hand too. Her hand was just and cold and hard as Emmett's. She had a soft voice. "Hi Bella. I'm pleased to meet you."

"Pleased to meet you too, Rosalie."

"And this is my son Edward." Carlisle indicated the bronze-haired guy.

Edward nodded. "Hello, Bella."

I jerked my head. "Hi Edward. It's nice to meet you."

He smirked. "Same here."

Carlisle pointed to the golden-brown haired lady. "This is my daughter Esme. She is Edward's wife," he remarked.

Whoa.

Esme shook my hand gently. Her hand was freezing too. What was up with these people? Did they live in refrigerators? "Hello, Bella. It's a pleasure," she murmured.

"Hello, Esme. Same here."

"This is my son Jasper. He is Rosalie's twin brother," Carlisle added, nodding at the honey-blonde.

Like Edward, Jasper bobbed his head. "It's good to meet you, Bella," he announced in a quivering voice. He had a Southern accent.

"You too, Jasper," I said.

Carlisle gestured to the pixie-like woman. "And finally, this is my daughter Alice, who is Jasper's wife."

Wow! It seemed like everyone was paired off in this family, except Carlisle, of course. I would call him Carlisle-such a charming, magnificent name! It suited him, even if it was an old-fashioned name-but I always showed respect for people, especially adults. Except for Phil and sometimes Charlie, I didn't call an adult by their first name to their face.

Alice moved forward and embraced me tightly as if I were a long lost friend, catching me off guard. "Hi Bella! It's a pleasure to finally meet you! Carlisle told me he was bringing you over here! We're going to have so much fun together!" she exclaimed in a wind-chime voice. Oh my, this lady was really eager!

"Hi Alice. I'm glad to meet you as well," I stated before pulling away.

Carlisle grinned at her before turning to me. "Well, that's everybody. You can put your backpack away and take off your jacket, if you wish. The closet is the first door on the left and the bathroom is across from it."

I nodded. "Thank you."

I stepped over to the closet, hung my coat up, and set my backpack on the floor. Then I went to use the bathroom. Ugh. My hair was a mess. As soon as I had the chance, I would wash all of the dirt and debris out of it. Plus, I needed a shower.

After brushing my hair and clothes off, and washing my face with my hands, I returned to the living room.

Emmett, who was perched on the sofa with Rosalie, looked up and smiled widely. "Oh, there you are Bella! You were so quiet that we almost forgot that you were here!" he remarked.

I couldn't help but laugh. "I don't think I've worn out my welcome yet, so yeah, I'm still here."

Everyone else joined me. "Oh, I like her already," Esme chortled.

I reddened.

Patting the spot next to her, Rosalie said, "Please sit."

"Thank you." I lowered myself onto the seat beside her. She began to play with my hair. Her cool but gentle fingers calmed me, so I didn't complain.

Jasper raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'll be, Carlisle. You sure did save a polite, well-mannered girl!"

"I've noticed. Are you hungry, Bella? Would you like something to eat?" Carlisle queried.

He had taken off his coat, hat, and gloves by now. I saw that he had blonde hair, just like Jasper and Rosalie, except that it was a rich gold color and short. It was combed to the side so that his bangs fell over his eyes. He was wearing a black t-shirt that emphasized his muscles-which were between Emmett and Jasper's in size-and black dress pants. Damn, did he look good! He didn't look like he was twenty-nine at all! I would have thought that he was twenty-one or twenty-two.

I was taking him in so much I barely remembered to respond. "No. I'm not hungry, but thanks Dr. Cullen," I mumbled, embarrassed.

He gave a tiny grin. "Well, if you are, just let me know and I will cook something for you," he said.

I nodded. "Thank you," I repeated.

"No problem."

Alice leaned forward. "Where in New York City do you live, Bella?"

"I live in Brooklyn, but...I guess I don't anymore," I sighed. A lump rose in my throat as I thought of Mom, Charlie, and Phil. I wiped a tear that slipped from my eye.

Rosalie hugged me and before I knew it, I was weeping into her shoulder. She wasn't as comforting as Carlisle, but she made feel assuaged. Still, I secretly wished that he were holding me instead.

**Carlisle's POV**

A growl of jealousy rumbled in my chest as I saw Rosalie wrap her arms around Bella as she cried. I wanted to be the one consoling her, making her feel better. I wanted her to come to _me_. And I wanted to yell at Alice making Bella cry.

In my peripheral vision, I saw Edward frowning at me with his mouth half open. Jasper was scowling at me too in confusion, and so was Alice. This pulled me out of my inner monologue and I realized what happened a second too late.

Damn. Busted.

I escaped to my bedroom and stood by the window so that I could clear my head. In the living room, I could hear Esme scolding Alice for being insensitive.

What was the matter with me? Why was I developing feelings for a girl who had just barely commenced puberty? It was immorally wrong in every aspect!

A few minutes later, Edward crept into my room.

"Hi Carlisle," he murmured.

"Hello, Edward," I whispered, glancing at him before turning to the window again.

He stood next to me, studying my face intently. "Carlisle...what's going on?" he demanded, but not in an angry voice. Instead, he sounded curious and bewildered.

I took a deep breath. "I don't know, son. I really don't know. I wish that I did," I replied honestly.

Edward searched my thoughts. "Hmm."

It was silent for a while.

"So what are you going to do? About Bella, I mean?" he inquired after some time later.

"I'm not quite sure as of yet. I don't want to send her to an adoption center or an orphanage. It wouldn't be fair to her, and with these corrupt people these days...no. I could never forgive myself if I had put her in harm's way. I'll take her down to Social Services on Friday and ask for their permission to let her stay here. But Edward, I don't feel like a father to her. It's not that I do not care for her, it's just..." I could not explain my emotions. Normally, I could. It frustrated me when I could not make head or tails of them.

Edward nodded. "I understand, Carlisle. We'll think of something, don't worry. You know, it's simply strange," he stated half to himself a moment afterwards.

"What is strange?" I queried. I was not in the mood to discuss this conversation any longer.

"No, it's not that." He had read my mind and threw me a crooked smile. "It's just that, well, I can't hear Bella's thoughts. Not at all. Isn't that something?"

This revelation astounded me. "It is. Her brain must be shielded or something. You know, what also surprises me is that you and Jasper are able to control yourselves. I was afraid that one of you would slip up and attack her when we walked in the door."

"Ha ha. Yes."

"We should get back to the living room. They will be wondering what is keeping us."

Bella was still sobbing when we joined everybody again. I settled myself in my armchair and Edward sat next to Esme in the loveseat.

Alice was apologizing to Bella over and over again.

"I'm so sorry, Bella! It didn't mean to upset you. Please forgive me, I really am sorry!" she cried in distress.

Bella sniffled and gave her a watery smile. "It's okay, Alice, I know you didn't," she assured her.

Alice sighed in relief and grinned back.

I peered at her. "Don't pester her, Alice. Bella has had a long, bad day," I said sternly.

"Sorry, Carlisle," she muttered abashedly.

"It is all right."

After Bella had stopped crying, I asked, "Where did you live in Brooklyn? I could take you to your house and you could pack a few of your things. And then I'll bring you back here."

"I live on Adams Street and Twentieth Avenue. But where will I sleep?" she inquired.

"I work nights at the Lenox Hill Hospital, so you can have my room. I'll just sleep on the sofa."

"But I don't want to intrude..."

She was too sweet. "Nonsense, Bella! I don't mind. I'm in the living room most of the time anyway, so it won't be a problem. Besides, Alice and Jasper and I will be glad to have you here. We don't want to place you in an adoption center...you know how people are these days when it comes to adopted children. If you wish to, you can stay here with us," I remarked.

Bella nodded wisely. "Okay, then. If it isn't too much trouble, I guess I'll have your room. And I would be happy to stay with you. You are all very nice and I like it here."

Jasper sent a wave of delight through the room. And then everyone but him and I fell upon her with hugs and kisses, which made her laugh. I had to laugh too. I was elated to see her so jubilant.

"Well, Bella, welcome to the family! Now let's see. We could go to your house at 8:15, after sunset, if that is all right for you."

"Sure."

"Eight fifteen, it is then."

**Bella's POV**

Accordingly, at 8:15, Carlisle and I prepared to go to my house. I had spend the entire day getting acquainted with my new family, since their classes were cancelled and Carlisle was taking the night off. I liked everyone already. Which was saying something because I usually didn't feel comfortable with people I didn't know right away.

Throughout the morning and the afternoon, I played games with Edward, Emmett, and Jasper. Alice and Rosalie washed my hair and curled it. (Thank goodness. My hair was really filthy!) I chatted with Esme while we cooked lunch and dinner. And Carlisle showed me his library. I read a good number of the books he had before, so their titles were familiar. In fact, he owned all of the books I already possessed, so I certainly wouldn't have to pack mine.

Out of everyone, it was hard to say who I liked the best. Emmett would be the big brother I always wanted. He could be a little irritating occasionally, but he was goofy and so much fun to be around.

Alice and Rosalie were the more extroverted forms of myself. Besides that, they knew more about make-up and clothes than I did.

Esme was a lot like me, but she didn't read as much as I did. She knew a lot about fashion too.

Edward and Jasper were easily going to be my other two favorite brothers. They were fun just to hang around and do things with, like going to the movies or to the arcade. But the both of them seemed too shy to come near me. Odd.

Carlisle was...it was hard to say. He didn't seem like someone I would see as my new father figure. I guess it was because he didn't appear to be much older than I was, or any of his adopted children for that matter. I guess I could say that he would be another older brother, one who was just as quiet as me, and as much of a bookworm as I was. He wasn't like his sons; he preferred a more peaceful atmosphere, just as I did. And he was purely kind and generous. He would be someone I would read books with, confide personal secrets to, or just someone I could sit and have a talk with, like Esme. However, like Emmett, he could joke around and be silly as well. The two different sides of him were endearing.

Anyway, moving along.

Carlisle and I ambled out of the apartment and made our way to his car. It was black Mercedes, and I could tell that he paid a hefty amount of money for it.

"I like your car! What type of Mercedes is it?" I asked him.

"I am pleased that you do. It is a Mercedes S55 AMG," Carlisle declared.

He opened the passenger door for me. I thanked him before stepping inside. Then he climbed in and we were on our way to Brooklyn.

We arrived at my house thirty-five minutes later. I packed my clothes and toiletries, what little bit of jewelry I had, the pictures of Mom, Dad, and Phil on my side-table drawer, the family's photo albums, and all of the movies. I had also procured our identity papers and other similar, important documents. Carlisle had mentioned something about Social Services, so I was going to need them. Then, with one last look around the house, and after checking to make sure I didn't forget anything, we left. I nearly bursted into tears, but I stopped myself. I didn't want no one to think I was a baby, crying all of the time. I had cried two times already.

When Carlisle and I got back to the apartment (and my new home), Alice, Esme, and Rosalie helped me to put my stuff away in my new room. They surprised me with a wine-red pillow and bedspread set and they had even managed to have a drawer delivered to the house while we were gone. It was placed on the right side of my (king-sized!) bed.

"Thank you so much!" I exclaimed, embracing each of them in turn.

After I took a much-needed shower and put on my pajamas, I said good-bye to Emmett, Rosalie, Esme and Edward, who were going back to their own houses.

"See you tomorrow, Bella!" Emmett yelled, wrapping me in a bear hug that almost cracked my ribs.

"Call us if you need anything," Esme and Rosalie added, hugging me more gently.

"I will," I promised.

Edward patted my shoulder and smiled. "Don't let Alice _fashionably_ torture you," he stage-whispered.

"I heard that!" Alice proclaimed in a singsong voice. Everyone snickered loudly.

Once they were gone, I had a cup of hot chocolate before getting ready for bed. It had been a very tiring day, and I just wanted to look at my photo albums and sob into my pillow afterwards. I said good-night to Carlisle, Alice, and Jasper before going to my room.

As soon as I was settled, there was a knock on the door and Carlisle stepped in.

"Sorry for my intrusion, Bella. I just wanted to check on you before you went to sleep. Is the bed comfortable enough for you? Do you require anything?" he queried in concern.

"Yes, I'm very comfortable. I don't need anything, though. Thank you, Dr. Cullen," I replied. The bed and the pillows were as soft as clouds! The room had an armchair too-a plush, velvet medium-brown one. The drapes on the windows to my were medium-brown too, with gold ropes tied around them. Outside, I could see the skyscrapers of lower Manhattan. The walls were cream-colored, and both of the drawers were carved out of smooth oak and cherry wood. Everything seemed too lavish for an urban apartment such as this. Not that it looked bad on the outside. I just couldn't help but be comfortable!

Carlisle grinned. My heart and stomach fluttered simultaneously.

The fuck?

"You're welcome, Bella. I am just going to get a few of my clothes and then I will leave you to it. Do you mind?"

"No, no. You're the boss of the house. You can do whatever you want."

"Ha. That is true." He strolled over to his dresser and pulled out what he needed. Before leaving, he smiled at me again. "Good night, dear. I hope you sleep well."

I returned his smile and blushed. He was just so caring. "Good night, Dr. Cullen."

"If you need anything, Alice is just across the hall, and I'll be in the living room."

"Okay. Thanks."

"You're welcome."

He left the room and closed the door. I grabbed my photo albums from under the bed and looked through them. Tears ran down my cheeks. I wished that my parents and Phil were with me instead of inside the pictures. My heart broke as I realized for the millionth time that I would never see them in this life again.

After an hour, I turned off the lamp and cried myself to sleep.

**Carlisle's POV**

I could hear Bella weeping again from my old room. Part of me wanted to go to her, but Alice told me that it would be best if I didn't. She saw through her visions that Bella wanted to be left alone. I nodded, trying not to look as dejected as I felt. But of course, Jasper knew what state my emotions were in, and I was positive that Alice did as well.

"Carlisle, I wanted to speak to you anyway, remember?" she inquired.

"Yes, of course I do. How could I have forgotten?" I returned.

Alice studied me closely. "Carlisle...what do you think of Bella? How do you feel about making her a part of the family?"

"Well, I think that Bella is a very kind, polite girl. She has good manners and is remarkably considerate of others more than she is of herself. I do not feel bad about taking her in. I know you heard me explain to Edward why I didn't want to send her to an orphanage or adoption center."

Nodding, Alice beamed. "Yes, I heard everything you said to him. I like Bella, too. We all like her-she is everything that I saw she would be-and we want her to stay with us as much you do. After all, I told you that she was important to all of us, but especially to you."

"How is she more important to me than to the rest of you?"

Alice blinked. "Honestly, Carlisle, haven't you figured it out _yet_?"

"Figured what out?"

"Okay, apparently you haven't, so let me ask you this. What are emotions like when you think about her, or when you are around her? You told Edward that you don't feel fatherly towards her, so how do you feel?"

I reflected on that. "I feel very protective of her. When she's upset, I want to find some way for her to feel better. I feel sorry for her, since she had lost her family. Bella will grieve them for a long time, and this is going to be a rough period of time for her. It makes me happy to see her enjoying herself. She deserves to be happy. It kills me to see her so sad. But I would feel the same way for all of you if I saw you upset."

Alice steepled her fingers. "How much happier are you when she's happy than when we are? How much sadder do you feel when she is than when we are?" she asked.

"That...that is irrelevant," I stated, brought up short by these unexpected questions. I knew the answer, but until now it did not disturb me.

"You're grasping at the straws, Carlisle," she sang.

Exasperating pixie! "Why does any of this matter, Alice? Why are asking me all of these questions?" I demanded in annoyance.

Rolling her eyes, Alice stood up. "Carlisle, have you thought about everything that you just said? What you had just revealed? If you have, you would have realized it, especially when Jasper could feel how jealous you were when Rosalie hugged Bella earlier when she was crying. Or when he felt your anger towards me when I made her cry. Or when he noticed that you were sad when I told you that Bella wanted to be alone!"

"Realized _what_?"

Alice stamped her foot in irritation. "Ohhhh, Carlisle...don't you see? Don't you have any idea of why you feel or react a certain way when she's around you? No? Well then, here's the reason. _Bella is your soul mate!_"


	6. Chapter 5: The Decision & A Sad Birthday

**Carlisle's POV**

"W-WHAT!?" I gasped, dumbstruck. "My _soul mate_!? But Alice...th-this is insane! Isn't she a bit young?"

Alice held her hand up to cut me off, already knowing what I was about to say. "Yes, Carlisle, I know this is a lot to take in. And yes, Bella is a too young at the moment, but look on the bright side. You won't have to wait very long for her to grow up. And when she does, Bella will understand the connection between you two, and the both of you will be very happy forever afterwards," she stated.

I buried my face in my palms. I was still reeling with this news. How could this be? I never thought that vampires could be mated to humans! Apparently, I was wrong.

"So, what do I do about Bella? I can't adopt her knowing that...that she is my mate," I remarked after a while.

Smiling, Alice declared, "Esme is discussing it with Edward as we speak. She would like to take responsibilty for her, and Edward is more than willing. You know how much Esme wants another child. The only problem is that he would risk draining Bella if he's around her. When you're around, he can stay in control. If it was just him and Esme, he wouldn't trust himself to do so quite as much. But everything will turn fine. Bella will be glad for them to be her adoptive parents. Emmett and Jasper will be good brothers to her. And Rosalie and I will be her favorite sisters. But you will be the best adoptive brother and friend she'll have. Trust me; I've seen it."

"That's good. And Bella doesn't have to live with Edward and Esme if it will cause an inconvenience. Perhaps she could stay here? Or with Emmett and Rose?" I questioned.

"Of course. I'm sure that they would be glad to have Bella if she decides to stay there. However, if Bella chooses to live here, it would be complicated for Jasper."

I nodded slowly, considering this deeply. "What do you plan to do about this then, if that is what she decides?"

"Jasper and I could spend some more time with Emmett and Rosalie until he gets used to her scent," Alice suggested. "But I would be over everyday to help you. Esme and Rosalie can come along too."

"That sounds reasonable. I take it that Edward and Esme will be taking Bella to Social Services, then?" I inquired.

Alice nodded. "Yep."

I bowed my head. "So then it's settled for now. Should we tell her that we are vampires, or no?"

She pursed her lips. "Not yet. We'll give Bella the next few days to get use to us, but we can tell her after Edward and Esme adopts her. She already suspects that we're not like other people. And because Bella's your mate, it's safe to tell her. She deserves to know the truth about us. Until then, we'll have to act human. Which means we'll have to eat and everything."

Everyone looked disgusted.

Suddenly, her face changed again. "Oh, how horrible!" she breathed.

And then two piercing screams erupted from the other bedroom.

**Bella's POV**

The North Tower was directly ahead of me. Smoke was billowing out of the top. I had to hurry. I needed to get to Mom, Charlie, and Phil in case the building decided to collapse like the South Tower.

I made a left at the courtyard and dashed through it.

When I was halfway across it, I saw them in the entrance. I groaned loudly in relief and waved to them. They waved back.

I had nearly reached the doorway when I heard a loud BOOM. I glanced upwards to see the tower beginning to fall.

"BELLA, RUN!" Mom hollered.

I did as she said, but it was like some force prevented me from going far or fast. It was like trying to run through a swimming pool. Meanwhile, the crumbling North Tower seemed to be getting closer. I didn't see Mom, Charlie, or Phil anywhere.

With a final CRUNCH, the building had completely fallen. The shockwave hurled me to the ground.

Once the smoke from the debris had cleared, I lifted my head out of my arms. Coughing, I turned over and stared at the rubble, the only thing left of the Tower.

***This part is graphic. Unless you think that you can handle it, I would advise you not to read it. Look for the next bold section if you want to skip this part.***

I noticed something red seeping through the damaged bricks. It dripped onto the ground and started to flow towards me.

As I watched, the crimson liquid rolled higher and higher, covering the sky. I tried to move away, but it splashed over me before I could get anywhere.

I was suspended by sticky red goo. I made to swim to the surface, and the thick liquid just rose higher. I could breathe, but even so, I knew I had to get out. The water smelled _terrible_, like rust, metal, and something dead.

While I struggled, I bumped into a solid object. I turned to see Dad's crushed face. Something else floated by, and I saw Renee and Phil, also with broken bodies.

This wasn't red water. It was _blood_! Their blood!

I yelled in terror. The blood pulled me deeper into it, so that I was sinking. I thrashed around more and tried to swim, but it was no use. I just went down further, sinking...sinking...and then their bodies followed and closed in on me. I tried to get away, but it was no use. Soon, they were covering me.

I bellowed again.

***Okay. The part is over now.* **

"Bella? Bella, wake up!" a wind-chime voice yelled, shaking my shoulder.

With a gasp, I awakened in a cold sweat, trembling. Once I had settled down considerably, I looked around. For a second, I thought that I was at home. That the World Trade Center collapsed, Carlisle and the Cullens, and the dream were just a dream. That Mom, Charlie, and Phil were just fine. "Mom? Phil?" I whispered groggily.

There was silence, then, "No, Bella. They're...not here. Remember?"

I gazed at my surroundings again. Now that my eyes were adjusting to the darkness, I could see two dressers, one on my right and one directly ahead of me. Alice was sitting to right of me. The window on my left showed the Empire State building. I was sleeping in a feather-light bed with a wine-red blanket and pillows. Then I remembered. This _was_ Carlisle's apartment and my new home. And he saved me, then took me in because the Twin Towers _did_ collapse, and because my parents really _were_...

I buried my face in my hands. Reality was such a bitch.

"Bella?" Alice murmured, laying a hand on my upper arm. "Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

I shook my head, sniffed, and turned away. I wished that Carlisle was here instead of her, but I didn't say so. It would hurt her feelings.

She sighed. "All right, then. If you change your mind, let me know."

I just nodded. Alice squeezed my arm before leaving.

**Carlisle's POV**

Alice walked out of the room and smiled playfully at me. "Bella wants you," she whispered.

My heart felt warm again, but I ignored it. "Are you sure?" I queried anxiously.

"Of course," Jasper chuckled. "I can feel it. She's longing for you."

"Go ahead," Alice commanded, pushing me forward.

I gulped and made my way to Bella's room. Knowing that she was my mate, why didn't they look more worried? Not that I would do anything, of course. Not to a thirteen-year-old girl. The thought of doing something inappropriate was repulsive in every respect. I wanted to feel like a father figure to her, but that was not possible, of course. An older brother. I supposed that that did best describe me for now. A very protective, possessive older brother.

**Bella's POV**

A minute later, there was a knock on the door and it creaked open. I thought it was Alice again.

"Bella?" I heard a musical, honey-sweet voice call to me instead.

My eyes shot open. Dr. _Way_-Too-Hot-To-Trot was back. I rolled over. "Oh. Hey," I muttered.

Carlisle looked deeply concerned. Even then, he looked handsome. His golden eyes shone brightly although it was dark. "Is everything all right? It sounded like you were having a rough time in here."

"No. My parents are gone. I just had a nightmare. Why would I be all right?"

His expression changed to sadness, and I felt guilty for snapping at him. "Ah. Of course. May I get you anything? Something to drink, perhaps?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"I will be right back."

He closed the door. Soon he came back with a cup of water. He sat down on the bed and held it out to me. I took it.

"Thank you," I breathed, sipping the water shakily.

Once the glass was empty, I gave it back to him and thanked him again.

Carlisle smiled. "You're welcome, Bella." He patted my back and I felt electricity rush through me again. I was exasperated by this, but I decided to ignore it this time.

"I'm sorry that I woke you up," I mumbled.

"I was not asleep. I was speaking to Alice and Jasper."

"Oh."

He stood up. "If that will be all, I will leave you alone."

"No!" I piped up a little too quickly. I mentally shook myself. Why did I act this way around him? "Sorry. I didn't mean to say it like that. But please don't go. I don't want to be by myself. Can you just sit here until I go back to sleep?"

Carlisle nodded and grinned a little. "Of course I can."

**Carlisle's POV**

Bella sounded so scared and miserable that I couldn't have denied her even if I wanted to. She laid down once more and attempted to relax. It took a while, but eventually she did.

She had almost fallen asleep when she whispered, "Dr. Cullen?"

"Mmm?" I replied.

"Could you sing me a song?"

I blinked in surprise. I had not expected her to ask me this.

Bella, mistaking my silence for something else, quickly amended, "Or...or you could read something to me instead. I just can't stand how quiet it is in here, is all."

"No, it is perfectly fine, my dear. I wouldn't mind singing to you. Is there a particular song that you would like me to sing?"

She paused for a moment. "I can't think of anything," she sighed.

"All right. I'll see what I can come up with instead."

After much thought, I began to sing an old Italian song that I knew. Gradually, Bella's respiration slowed down and became more even. Once she had slumped onto her pillow ten minutes later, I knew she was asleep.

I left the room, shutting the door quietly so that I wouldn't wake her back up.

Alice was smiling at me when I joined her and Jasper in the living room again. "Good job, big brother," she teased, giving me a thumbs-up.

"Oh, shut up," I grumbled, causing her to laugh. I sat down in my armchair. "Has anything new happened?"

"Yes. Edward and Esme will come by early tomorrow morning to talk to you. Edward already knows that you know, of course, and he saw that you are Bella's mate," she added.

"Wonderful," I remarked sarcastically. "Why do you insist on working me up?"

Jasper snorted. "Because it's interesting to see you not so calm for once, especially when Bella's name is mentioned."

Alice leaned to the side. "And what a coincidence! Hi Bella!" she exclaimed.

I turned around quickly, but no one was there. Alice and Jasper howled with laughter.

I glared at them. I could not believe that they had tricked me like this. Come to think of it, I should have heard her wake up. "Very funny," I snarled.

"Don't get mad at us because you fell for it," Jasper snorted.

"Yeah, Carlisle," Alice chimed in.

Of course, I really wasn't that angry with them. I was angry with myself for being so stupid.

**Bella's POV**

The ring of my cell phone woke me up the next morning. I grabbed it and flipped it open. "Hello?" I grunted, rubbing my eyes.

"Bella?" I heard Gabrielle mumble on the other end.

"Yes, it's me Gabrielle," I replied.

"Oh, Bella! Are you okay? Where are you? Where did you go? I didn't see you leave school. I called your house and no one was there!" Gabrielle proclaimed, sounding more alert.

I sighed. I had forgotten where I was again. "No, I'm not home. I'm in Manhattan."

"Manhattan? What are you doing there? You didn't go near those towers, did you? Are you in the hospital?"

"Damn, Gabrielle! One question at a time! I came to Manhattan to see if my parents and Phil were okay. And no, I'm not in a hospital."

Gabrielle was silent for a moment. "Well, are they okay?" she queried.

Tears filled my eyes. "No. Just as I got to the North Tower it...it collapsed. They were on their way out but...it was already too late."

"Oh, Bella, I'm so sorry! But how did you get away from the tower okay?"

"I wouldn't have if the man who I'm staying with-along with his family-didn't save me."

Gasping, Gabrielle exclaimed, "A man saved you? What does he look like? You have to tell me everything!"

I chortled a little. "Well, I tripped and fell when the building was tumbling down. And then a granite brick was about to smash my head open when the man saved me. His name is Dr. Carlisle Cullen. He's twenty-nine, but he looks younger. He is too hot and handsome for his own good! He had gold eyes and gold-blonde hair. He's tall and muscular. And unlike most guys, he has a nice nose. And his lips! If I were eighteen, I would have kissed him by now. His lips are like velvety red roses! And he has the voice of a Greek God or an angel. You wouldn't believe how beautiful he sounds when he sings, Even when he's just talking, he sounds good! He is so sweet and kind and caring. He's almost completely like me. I like him so much. Truthfully," I whispered, peering over my shoulder to make sure that no one heard me. "I think I have a crush on him!"

**Carlisle's POV**

Unbeknownst to Bella, my children and I heard what she was telling her friend. Every word she said made me feel warmer and warmer until I felt quite human. I swore my heart nearly jolting back into beating.

"That's right, Carlisle. Blush," Alice joked.

"SHUT UP!" I growled, throwing a pillow at her. It made contact with her head.

**Bella's POV**

"Wow, Bella! He sounds like a dream. I'll have to drop by to see you both sometime," Gabrielle remarked. "Are you staying there? Or are you coming home?"

"Even though I would like to go back home, I'm going to stay with the Cullens. I like it here. He and his family are very nice. I feel as if I belong. Besides, I couldn't stay home even if I wanted to. It would be too depressing. Plus, a child agency would have taken me to a group home anyway," I added.

Gabrielle grew quiet again. "Oh. I would have liked for you to stay with me, but that's okay. I understand. Maybe a new start is what you need. But I'm going to miss you, Bella."

I felt the tears coming back. "I'll miss you too, Gabrielle. Try to visit me as often as you can."

"Okay, I will. Good-bye."

"Bye."

I hung up the phone and wept into my pillow.

It seemed as if everyone I loved before the attack was slipping away from somehow, one by one!

When I had finished crying a half an hour later, I could smell the scent of blueberry waffles wafting from the kitchen. Presently, someone knocked on the door.

"Bella? Are you awake? Breakfast is ready," Carlisle announced from the other side of the door.

My heart flip-flopped. I wasn't hungry even though I loved blueberry waffles, but I didn't want to hurt his feelings. He was too considerate to be hurt, even by something so simple. "Yes, I'm awake. I'll be out in a minute," I declared.

"Okay. Just take your time."

I threw on a lavendar-colored robe and went to the bathroom. After brushing my teeth, I made my way to the kitchen. Carlisle and Jasper were sitting at the table while Alice was standing by the stove. They glanced up as I entered.

"Hey, Bella," Alice beamed.

"Hi Bella," Jasper smiled.

"Good morning, Bella," Carlisle greeted. "Did you sleep well for the rest of the night? Any more nightmares?"

"No. I slept fine, thank you," I murmured with a faint grin, sitting down.

"That's good."

Alice finished cooking and laid three large waffles apiece on each plate. Then she filled three tall glasses with orange juice. "All right," she said briskly, placing the syrup pitcher in the middle of the table. "We aren't going to leave this table hungry. Eat up, everybody!"

I poured maple syrup on my waffles and took a bite. They were soft and sweet, and they melted in my mouth. "This is really good, Alice," I commented.

She smiled. "Thank you, Bella. I'm glad you like it."

As we tucked our meal, everyone talked all at once, except for me. Jasper told us that the schools and colleges in New York City would be closed for a week or so.

"That's good. It will be easier for some. And we can have Bella enrolled into the high school eight blocks away without too much trouble. Speaking of which," Carlisle continued, turning to me. "Edward and Esme are coming over in a few hours. Emmett and Rosalie will also. We have something important to discuss with you."

I nodded.

When breakfast was over, I helped Alice wash the dishes. After that, I took a shower and got dressed. I didn't want to be around anybody for the moment, so I just stayed in my room, stayed in my head. I was more of the suffer-in-silence type.

I was so lost within myself that I didn't notice time going by. It only seemed as if only seconds had passed when there was a knock on the apartment's doors. A moment later, Edward and Esme's voices joined the others. So did Emmett's and Rosalie's.

Then someone rapped on my door. "Bella!" Alice called. "Edward and Esme are here!"

"All right," I said wearily. I stood up and straightened out my clothes before leaving my bedroom.

Edward and Esme were sitting on the couch. Alice and Jasper were residing on the loveseat. Emmett and Rosalie had moved two kitchen chairs next to the sofa. Carlisle was in his armchair.

Carlisle gestured to the sofa. "Please sit, Bella."

I perched on the spot next to Esme, who hugged me. I nodded to Edward, who smiled and nodded in return. Emmett embraced me as well-gently this time-and Rosalie squeezed my hand.

"How are you, Bella?" she asked.

"I'm fine, just a little tired," I sighed.

"Mmm."

Someone cleared their throat and everyone turned to Carlisle.

He leaned forward and clasped his hands. "Well, except for Bella, we know why we are here. An important subject has been raised that concerns all of us, but especially you Bella," he stated.

I nodded. "And what would that be?" I inquired.

Carlisle bobbed his head, gesturing to Edward and Esme. When I shifted my attention to them. Esme got up from the couch and bent down in front of me so that her eyes were level with mine.

"Edward and I have been talking," she began softly. "And it would be our pleasure if you would allow us to adopt you. Ever since I had lost my baby, I have wanted another child. But I am barren. I cannot have anymore. If you don't want us to adopt you, however, we will understand. It is really your choice. What are your opinions?"

At first, I didn't know. I barely even knew how I felt, aside from sympathetic. How horrible it must be to lose your child! It was just as bad as losing your parents, if not worse.

Then, I was...relieved. I had no idea why. Maybe it was because Carlisle was already supporting six people. And then, he seemed so young! He looked too young to even be my adoptive father, much less anyone else's, and especially his own children's. Besides, I didn't want to Carlisle to have too much to worry about.

Even though Esme was barely older than I was, she seemed to be around Carlisle's age. And in some ways, she already reminded of Mom, except that she wasn't flighty. It made my heart hurt, but at least it would make it easier for me to remember her.

I sat there for a while, considering this very hard, until I had come to a decision.

"Well...I would like it if you and Edward adopted me. But where will I stay when you go to school?" I queried.

"I have decided to postpone going to college for a while. I will eventually go back. After all, someone will have to take care you when _you_ get home from school," Esme remarked. "But you don't have to come to our house after school if you don't want to. You can come here to Carlisle's or go to Emmett and Rosalie's house until they have to leave for school or work."

Rosalie laid a hand on my arm. "And Emmett and I can set up a room for you too, if you like."

I nodded. "That sounds great," I said to both of them.

Esme smiled and embraced me again. So did Rosalie. I turned to Edward hesitantly, and he surprised me by hugging me too.

"We will be so glad to have you as our daughter," he mumbled.

I smiled and let go of him; he was freezing!

"So, there we have it then. Edward and I will take you to Social Services on Friday and we will make it official. Is that all right?" Esme inquired of me.

"Yes, that's perfectly all right."

**Carlisle's POV**

When Bella agreed to let Edward and Esme adopt her, it seemed as if a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

Esme would be a good mother to her, and Edward...well...with time we would see. He wouldn't be able to spend much time with Bella, what with going to his night classes, and trying to avoid her scent. If she stayed at my house-or at Emmett and Rosalie's place-in the afternoon, it would be easier for him. But this could only be arranged after we told Bella what we were.

Edward looked horrified until I told him why through my mind. His expression was soon replaced by an "oh, that's right" expression. Then he gave me a thumbs up.

"I hope you like long waits," he murmured to low for Bella to hear, even when she was right next to him.

_Be quiet, Edward_, I thought to him.

He covered his mouth and snickered. Esme, Emmett, and Rosalie scowled at him in confusion.

"Soon," he whispered. They nodded.

(Later)

For the rest of the day, no one did very much. We mostly watched the news. It turned out that American Airlines Flight 77 had collided into the Pentagon yesterday morning at 9:37. And United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, PA less than an hour after that, at 10:30.

The terrorists had devastated America. Many people, like Bella, had lost their loved ones. A mother or father. A sister or brother. An aunt or uncle. A cousin. People whose lives would be forever changed from these events. Every American citizen life would be different somehow after this, even if they didn't lose anyone.

Watching everything that had happened the day before was too much for Bella, especially when they showed the World Trade Center collapsing. She locked herself in her room and refused to be bothered. Esme and Rosalie wanted to follow her, but I told them that it would be best if she was left alone.

"She will come out when she wants to," I added.

Emmett turned the volume of the television down. "Okay, Edward, what were you laughing for earlier and wouldn't tell us about?" he demanded.

Edward smirked at me. "You should ask Carlisle," he implied.

All of my children gazed at me. I gulped. _How could you put the spotlight on me like this?_ I thought to Edward with a growl.

"Well?" Rosalie drew out the word.

I couldn't reply for some reason.

"Never mind. Alice can tell us instead," Edward stated.

Everyone turned to her with a question in their eyes.

Alice crossed her legs and went straight to the point. "I found out that Carlisle and Bella are soul mates," she declared.

Esme and Rosalie gasped. Emmett raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"When?" Rosalie inquired.

"Yesterday, right after I saw Carlisle save Bella. I already knew that she was important to our family, but somehow, something told me that she was more important to Carlisle. At first, I didn't understand why. Then, when Carlisle saved her, and looked into her eyes for the first time, I could see their future together. And then I saw how they reacted to each other. After that, I knew," Alice explained.

Everyone just sat in silence, absorbing this pieces of news.

Some time later, Emmett smiled broadly. "I'm happy for you, Carlisle. But Edward's right. It will be a long while before you two can legally mate and do the nasty."

"EMMETT!" everybody exclaimed in horror and disgust. Rosalie smacked him on the back of his head.

"Ow! I was only kidding!" Emmett groaned.

"And you would joke around in that manner. I'm happy for you too, Carlisle. But Emmett _does_ have a point. How will you deal with...your emotions?" Esme queried.

Alice spoke up. "Well, since he can't be her lover for a few years, he will be like an older brother to her."

Emmett, Esme, and Rosalie nodded in understanding.

"That's a relief. You wouldn't want to be a craddle robber, Carlisle," Emmett snorted.

"EMMETT!"

There was another loud slap. Then Rosalie turned to me.

"I'm glad that you finally found someone, Carlisle. I know that it will be some time before you can truly love her in the way that a mate should. But in the end, it will be worth the wait," Rosalie said.

**Bella's POV**

As soon as I saw the Twin Towers collapsing on the news, I couldn't bear to watch TV anymore. I escaped to my room and locked the door. Then I laid in my bed and cried my eyes out. No one bothered me. I guess they knew that I wanted to be by myself.

I stayed in my room for the remainder of the day. I refused to eat; I had no appetite. Whenever someone knocked on the door to tell me that lunch or dinner was ready, I buried myself deeper under the covers. After a while, everyone just left me alone all together.

Day faded into night. I left the room once, but only to go to the bathroom. I didn't speak to anybody, and though Alice or Esme tried to hold a conversation, Carlisle told them to leave me alone. I would have to thank him for that later.

After going back to my room, I tumbled into bed again. Pretty soon, I fell asleep.

And nightmares soon overtook me. Nightmares of my parents and Phil tumbling into the darkness, of the tower falling on them, their screams, their blood splashing onto me.

Just when I thought it would get worse, Carlisle shook me awake. He embraced me as I wept onto his chest.

"Shhh," he whispered soothingly, rocking me back and forth. "It was just a dream, Bella. It will be all right."

"No, it won't! It will never be all right! Mom, Dad, and Phil are dead because of some stupid terrorist plot that had nothing to do with them. And it's so unfair. They didn't do anything to deserve this," I sobbed brokenly in rage.

Carlisle rested his cheek on the top of my head. "Of course not. If they were like you, then they were good, innocent people."

I nodded. "Yes, they were. And thank you, Dr. Cullen."

"For what, my dear?"

"For being so caring and understanding. Especially earlier, when Alice and Esme tried to make me talk to them. I wasn't it the mood."

"I could see that, and you are welcome."

I stopped crying after an hour. Carlisle sang another Italian song to me while stroking my hand. His beautiful voice and his soft caresses sent me into a deep, dreamless slumber.

(Next day)

My birthday arrived with dark-gray and black swollen clouds, a torrent of rain, and thunderstorms. The weather matched my mood. I wouldn't have been able to stand it if it was sunny. It would be too cruel and insensitive.

Someone bursted into my room without knocking, and Alice embraced me tightly. "Happy Birthday, Bella. Carlisle told everybody that it was today," she explained when I gave her an inquiring look.

My head drooped. "Oh," I murmured.

The silence was thick before Alice squeezed my arm. "Is there anything that you would like? A cake, perhaps? A trip to the movies? New clothes?"

"No," I replied, tears catching my voice. My shoulders began to shake. "I don't want any of that. I don't want anyone to spend their money on me. I just want my parents and stepfather back. That's all I want. I just want them back. Without them, it is not a happy birthday. It's just a meaningless day, and there wouldn't be any use in trying to make me happy. It would just be a waste of time and money. Please, Alice. Just let me be. I want to be by myself. I don't mean to be rude, but I just want to be alone," I wept.

Alice nodded in morose understanding and hugged me one more time. Then she left the room.

**Carlisle's POV**

The rest of the morning passed by dismally. I slumped into my armchair, my head in my hand, listening to Bella cry. Just hearing her made me feel depressed, and Jasper's pathokinesis was of no help. He himself was moping around the house, and so was Alice.

When Rosalie and Emmett came by to drop off some birthday presents along with Edward and Esme, they glanced at us, then at Bella's door.

"She still hasn't come out of her room yet?" Rosalie queried in sympathy.

"No," I mumbled. "She still won't eat anything either."

Rosalie's shoulders drooped. Esme looked just as sorry as she did. Edward's expression was gloomy, and Emmett's was not far off.

"Well, we just wanted to give these to her, but I guess that she's not up to it. This wouldn't be a happy birthday for her anyway," Esme sighed. "I suppose we can take her gifts back to our houses for now. We can always give them to her later."

I bobbed my head. "I agree. I think that it would be best for the moment," I whispered.

Esme and Rosalie wrapped their arms around me before exiting the apartment with their mates.

When Bella did not appear by two o'clock, I decided to check on her. I filled a cup with orange juice before ambling over to her room. I knocked on the door.

"Come in," a dejected voice grumbled on the other side.

I opened it and sat down next to her. "Good afternoon, Bella."

She glanced at me. "Hey, Dr. Cullen."

I held the cup out to her. "Have some juice, my dear. You need to keep yourself hydrated. And you don't have to call me Dr. Cullen anymore. You're family. Only people in the hospital call me that."

"Thanks, Carlisle," she muttered, taking it. She drank it slowly.

After the last drop was gone, she handed it back to me. I placed it on the side-table drawer. "I'm sorry that this couldn't be a better day for you, Bella. Truly, I am," I remarked.

She patted my hand. Static ran through it again, but I paid no attention to it. "Thank you, Carlisle. But don't worry about it. None of this your fault," she said quietly. Tears ran down her face and she buried her face in her palms.

I pulled her to me and held her close, desperately wishing that my embrace could take away her sorrow, her pain. Her grief.

It broke my heart when I knew that it wouldn't.

**(A/N: Such a bittersweet chapter. Tears are in my eyes for Bella's heartache. PLEASE REVIEW! The more reviews I get, the faster the next chapter will come!)**


	7. Chapter 6: Another Revelation

**Bella's POV**

When I had finally stopped crying (again), Carlisle gave me one final hug. "Let's get some food in your stomach, my dear. You haven't eaten all day, and I know that you must be famished," he stated.

Honestly enough, I was. Since I did not eat anything after yesterday's breakfast, my stomach felt especially hollow. Even if I wasn't hungry, I still would have followed him to the kitchen. Why was it so hard to refuse him?

"There's plenty of food here. If there is anything in particular you would like, I'll make it for you. Whatever you want, it's yours," Carlisle remarked as I sat down at the table.

I rested my head in my hand. "I'll...I'll just have soup, thank you," I mumbled wearily.

"Are you sure?" Carlisle inquired with a troubled expression on his face. "It is preferable that you eat something solid. You haven't eaten in over twenty-four hours."

"Okay, then. May I have spaghetti and spinach, please?"

"Certainly."

Carlisle set to work, gathering the things he needed from the refrigerators and cabinets. Soon, the kitchen was filled with the aroma of ground beef, tomato sauce, and steamed greens.

My stomach rumbled so loudly that Carlisle grinned. "It won't be long before the meal is ready, Bella," he assured me.

I nodded mutely.

After more than an hour, the spaghetti dinner was completed. Alice and Jasper joined Carlisle and I at the table.

Thick silence descended upon the kitchen as we ate our meal. No one tried to break it, except for when Alice asked me if I was all right. I inclined my head, but didn't speak. I didn't feel like talking much.

By the time I had finished my dinner, I was full to bursting. Carlisle gazed at me with satisfaction.

I helped Alice wash the dishes, then thanked Carlisle for the meal. "It was very delicious," I added.

He patted me on the shoulder. "It was nothing, my dear," he said gently.

Alice invited me to watch TV with her, but since I knew that the only thing they would mostly talk about is the terrorist attacks, I declined. I went back to my room and lost myself in a novel.

**Carlisle's POV**

(Two hours later)

I was finishing up some paperwork for my job in the living room. Alice and Jasper had retired to their bedroom, leaving me alone.

When I had completed my task, I realized that I had not given Edward and Esme the documents to bring with them to Social Services. They contained Bella's and her mother and stepfather's identity papers, their passports, and other necessary items.

I flipped open my cell phone and called Edward.

He answered his on the first ring. "Hello, Carlisle. Was there something that you needed?" he queried.

"Yes, Edward. There were some papers I was supposed to give you earlier, but since I was too worried about Bella, it strayed from my mind. Would you mind coming back to get them?"

"Of course not, Carlisle. I'll be over there in a moment."

Edward hung up the phone and so did I. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. I opened it as Alice and Jasper stepped out of their bedroom.

"We meet again," Edward joked.

"Hello again, Carlisle," Esme added, who was standing next to him.

I smiled a little. "Hi. The papers are in Bella's room. I will retrieve them for you," I said.

Edward and Esme sat down on the loveseat while Alice and Jasper sat on the couch. "Okay. We'll wait here," Edward declared.

I went to Bella's room and knocked on her door.

"Who is it?" she called.

"It's Carlisle. May I speak with you for a moment, please? It's important," I claimed.

I heard her climb out of bed and approach the door. She opened it and poked her head around it. "Yes?" she murmured.

"Sorry to bother you, but can you give me the documents that you had brought with you? Edward and Esme will need them for tomorrow," I pointed out.

"Sure, hold on."

She closed the door and I heard her rummaging under the bed. After a minute, she opened the door once more. "Here you are," she remarked, handing me a large brown-leathered portfolio.

"Thank you, my dear. Are you feeling all right?"

"Yes, I'm a little better now."

"That's good. If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask. I will have Alice check on you later, if that's fine with you."

"Okay. Say hi to Edward and Esme for me."

"I will."

Bella inclined her head. She had almost shut the door when she pulled it open again. "Oh, and Carlisle?" she whispered.

I turned to her. "Yes, Bella?" I questioned.

She gazed at her feet and shuffled them. "I never apologized for snapping at you the other night. I wanted to say that I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

"It is all right, my dear. I know that it was unintentional. You were just in a bad mood."

Bella grinned somewhat. "I'll talk to you later then, I guess."

I bobbed my head and she closed the door one last time. I went to the living room and handed the portfolio to Edward.

He skimmed through it and nodded. "Everything seems to be in order. Hmm," he whispered in a thoughtful voice. "Maybe it would be easier for us to adopt Bella if we made it seem like she was my cousin. I don't want anyone to think that we aren't capable of taking care of her because we are young and inexperienced with children. I can easily find records about her on the internet, explore her family tree, and modified it," he stated.

Esme was dubious. "Are you sure that it will work? I don't want you to get involved in a legal scandal," she fretted.

"Yes, I'm sure. I learned how to do it from our lawyer, J. Jenks. I can find the information and change some of it in no time at all."

I sighed. "Well, do what you think is necessary, but I advise you to extremely cautious."

Edward nodded. "I will. Don't worry."

**Bella's POV**

The rest of the evening passed by in a cloudy, dusky blur. Before I knew it, it was ten-thirty, and I needed to get to bed. I had to wake up very early the next morning to go to Social Services.

Once I had put on my nightclothes, I turned off the lamp and climbed into bed.

Deep down inside, I really did not want to go to sleep. I was afraid of having another nightmare, and I didn't want to wake Carlisle and the others up because of them anymore.

I didn't let them know that I knew this, but dark shadows were beginning to form under their eyes. I felt guilty for depriving them of their beauty rest.

I was so uncomfortable that I tossed and turned in my bed for hours. Every time I was close to falling asleep, the sound of a vehicle cruising by woke me up again. After this happened for the seventh time, I gave up and decided to find something to think about.

I wondered what it would be like to live with Edward and Esme. I knew that it wouldn't be too bad, of course. Both of them were very compassionate, loving, and fun. We would probably find a lot of things to do together.

Even though I was pleased that they were going to adopt me, I felt sad. I would miss staying here at Carlisle's apartment. I may not have spoke to Alice and Jasper much, but I would miss their constant presence.

Mostly, however, I was going to miss Carlisle when I wasn't around him. He had been there for me ever since he had saved my life when the North Tower collapsed. He was the only one who could comfort me whenever I had a nightmare. He kept the others from bothering me when I did not feel like talking. And if I was hungry, no one else-besides him-could get me to eat anything. His gentle, patient nature clicked with mine, and I supposed that this was the reason why I liked to be around him so much.

Suddenly, I wasn't sure if I wanted to live with Edward and Esme or not anymore. It wasn't that I didn't like them. Indeed, I liked both of them very much. But it would be hard for me to move to a different environment after I had already gotten used to staying here. Besides that, I wasn't use to being around them.

On the other hand, maybe it was best that I lived with them. While I was certain that it wouldn't be too difficult to for him to take care of me-after all, his other children were kind, polite, and well-bred-it wouldn't be fair to him. He had already raised six teenagers. It wouldn't be necessary to go through the whole process again. He deserved a break.

In addition to that, I realized that I was becoming a little obsessed with Carlisle, and obsessed with his presence. I found myself wanting him to be around nearly all of the time (when I was alone and/or feeling depressed.) Carlisle didn't need to deal with a teenager who had a huge crush on him. It was bad enough that I did. He would begin to think that I was becoming to dependent on him, and he didn't need that. He shouldn't have to put up with me having nightmares and crying on him half of the time. He shouldn't have to believe that I would eat only because he made me. I needed to make myself eat, even if I wasn't hungry. I had to speak up for myself and tell people that I preferred to be alone if I didn't want to be bothered more often. I And instead of having him come to me when I had terrible dreams, I needed to send him away and deal with my own problems. I owed him that for saving my life.

And yet...

If I had refused to let Carlisle help me, would I have made an honest effort to get my sorry ass out of bed for the past two days, even if for only a little while? Would I have stopped eating altogether? I did not know. Perhaps, and perhaps not. _But_, if Carlisle felt that it was his duty to help me, perhaps he did not mind that I needed him very much. I could see it in his eyes that he didn't. However, everything would change if he started to grow impatient with me, which could happen in nine cases out of ten. I didn't want this to ever happen, so I needed to keep my distance, although I didn't want to (deep down inside, strangely enough.) It would be for the best. I did not want things to become strained between us.

Besides, I would have sweet, caring Esme. I knew that she wouldn't mind helping me. And it was possible that Edward wouldn't either. I owed it to them to let them.

With that in mind, I turned over and gradually dozed off.

It seemed as if only seconds had passed when the alarm clock rang at six o'clock. I was extremely exhausted. I should have tried to go to sleep earlier.

I did not have time to worry about it, though. I climbed out of bed stiffly and went to the bathroom to take a shower.

After looking through my clothes, I decided to wear a white blouse, navy-blue slacks, and black shoes. I did not wear clothes like these much often, except for when I had to go somewhere important. Then I combed and brushed my hair before leaving the room again.

Carlisle was in the kitchen cooking eggs, turkey bacon, and pancakes. He turned around as I entered. Alice and Jasper were nowhere to be seen. They were most likely asleep. I was relieved that I did not have any nightmares for once.

"Good morning, Bella," he smiled genuinely.

"Good morning, Carlisle," I returned with a half-hearted grin.

"How are you?"

"Not bad. What about you?"

"Same here."

It grew quiet after that, save for the bacon crackling and sizzling in the frying pan. I stared at my hands to keep myself from looking at him.

He leaned over. "Are you sure that you are all right? You look very tired," he observed.

I just nodded. "I'm okay. You don't have to worry about me," I murmured.

Carlisle pursed his lips but did not say anything. He turned his attention back to the stove, his posture rigid. The silence became so thick that I could almost see it.

I squirmed uneasily. Did I make him angry and hurt his feelings? If I had, I couldn't bear it. Not at all. "I'm sorry, Carlisle," I whispered. "I didn't mean to make you upset. I really appreciate your concern for me...honest I do. But I don't want you to worry about me. It's not necessary. I'm fine, or at least I will be after a while. I just need to help myself get through my own problems."

**Carlisle's POV**

When Bella had said this, it felt as if someone had punched me in the stomach, just like when she told me not to worry about her.

She was my soul mate. She was my life. How could I not concern myself about her? Of course, I couldn't tell her that she was...not for another four years, at the very least. But she needed to know how important she was to me.

"Bella...the reason why I worry about you is because I care about you. As I had told you before, you are family. I will worry about you, regardless of how much you don't want me to, because that is how families work. Would I be a good father to my children if I stopped concerning myself about them whenever they wanted?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow.

Bella shook her head. "No," she admitted with a sigh.

"Of course not. So don't worry about me worrying about you. I would rather do that than allow you to work your way through your depression all by yourself, my dear," I stated.

I stepped around the table to her side and embraced her fiercely. "I really do care for you, Bella," I mumbled.

She was still for a moment, then hugged me back. "Thank you, Carlisle. I apologize for saying what I did. But I only said it because...well...you seem so tired yourself. I know that you can't have gotten much sleep since Tuesday night, and it's all my fault. Did you know that you have shadows under your eyes?" she queried.

She was really observant. I was going to have to be careful in answering this question. She had no idea that she was treading dangerous waters. "Yes, I did notice, but it does not concern me. And don't say that it's your fault. It's not...just as it's not your fault that you're depressed. I don't mind helping you, even if I have to lose some sleep because of it. I am a doctor, Bella. There is nothing in the world that I love more than helping people, especially my family. So if you need me, or any of my children, we'll be there for you. No matter what time it is or how long. Even if it's for twenty-three hours out of the day, we'll be here for you. You can depend on us, and you can especially depend on me," I remarked, hugging her once more.

**Bella's POV**

I wanted to kiss Carlisle on the lips right then and there.

Wait a minute! What was I thinking? I couldn't do that! I would both get us both in unneeded and unnecessary trouble!

Reddening, I moved away. Being in close proximity with him was not helping matters. Plus, he was cold. Didn't these people _ever_ absorb warmth?

As if it understood that I needed a distraction, my stomach grumbled.

Carlisle jumped up. "Oh, I'm sorry, my dear. I had almost forgotten about the food," he chuckled.

He went back to the stove and I clutched my hair with both hands, trying to pull myself together.

Breakfast was ready in five minutes. Carlisle scooped a heaping pile of scrambled eggs onto two plates, along with four strips of bacon and two pancakes. He poured some apple juice into a cup, then set it and a plate of food down in front of me with a warm smile. "Bon appetit," he declared.

**_Stop smiling at me, damn it!_** I wanted to tell him. Every time he did that, I could feel butterflies fluttering in my stomach. Why the hell did he have to be so damn gorgeous? Why the hell did I have to be so damn infatuated with him?

I chose to ignore it and started to eat. "Thank you," I said.

As the meal continued, Carlisle asked, "So, Bella...are you excited about today?"

I grinned. "Yes, a little. I guess I'll feel more excited when I'm at Social Services," I responded.

"Mmm," Carlisle whispered, nodding in understanding. "I suppose that Edward and Esme will be as well."

I took a bite of my pancakes. "Carlisle? Do you ever visit your parents? You never mentioned them."

A hint of sadness flashed in his eyes. "No. My parents are gone. They have been dead for quite some time now."

I wished that I hadn't asked that. I glanced at my food. "Oh. I'm sorry."

"It is all right, my dear."

"No, it's not. I shouldn't meddle in your business."

Carlisle placed a hand on mine, and I looked at him again. "It really is all right, Bella. I don't mind if you ask me anything as long as it isn't too personal to discuss."

I nodded, but did not say anything else.

Edward and Esme arrived at the house as soon as Carlisle and I had finished washing the dishes. They were both wearing long overcoats with gloves and wide-brimmed hats. Carlisle must not have been the only person in the family that had sensitive skin.

"Hello, Bella," Esme greeted, hugging me softly. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," I replied before embracing Edward. "Hi Edward. How are you?"

"Hi Bella. I am well."

That was another thing about the Cullens. Sometimes when they spoke, it was in an old-fashioned way. Weird.

I didn't have much time to ponder this. Esme told me to get my jacket. We had to leave pronto. Our appointment was at 8:25, and it was already 7:30. We would very much likely get stuck in traffic, and the sooner we were on our way to Social Services, the better.

Once I had put on my jacket, I said good-bye to Carlisle. "I guess I'll see you later," I remarked.

Carlisle embraced me. "Of course, Bella," he stated.

Edward nodded to confirm this. "We'll come back as soon as our appointment is over."

After letting go of Carlisle, I waved to him and followed Edward and Esme out of the door.

**Carlisle's POV**

After Bella, Edward, and Esme left the house, I thought over all of the things that we would have to talk when they returned.

Would Bella take kindly to me and my family after I tell her that we were vampires?

If not, would she decide to leave us to live somewhere else?

Something inside me told me that if she did choose to do so, we could entrust her to keep our secret. Bella was not like other teenagers, most of whom tended to spread gossip and tell stories.

"You won't know what happens until after you tell her. Even I don't know at the moment," Alice proclaimed from her bedroom.

**Bella's POV**

It took a while to get to Social Services. As Esme had predicted, we had gotten held up by traffic before we were halfway there.

She fidgeted impatiently. "I hope that they don't take too long. I don't want us to be late," she groaned.

Edward stroked her cheek. "Everything will be fine. It's only 7:57. We'll get there before 8:20," he cooed.

Gag.

Thankfully, we arrived at Social Services by 8:15. I trailed behind Edward and Esme and we sat down in the waiting room in the Child Services branch.

Not long afterwards, I heard a woman behind the waiting room's desk call, "Edward and Esme Cullen and Isabella Swan?"

We stood and walked over to her. She glanced at us briefly. "Mr. Sanders is ready to see you. Booth number eleven."

"Thank you," Edward mumbled.

Booth eleven was on the far end of a large office. Edward knocked on its wall twice.

Mr. Sanders was a nut-brown-haired man who looked to be around thirty-five years old. He wore glasses with slender, black lens, a gray suit and a tie.

He looked up as we entered. "Good morning! You must be Mr. and Mrs. Cullen and Isabella Swan," he remarked with a deep, pleasant voice.

We nodded and shook his hand before he gestured to a few chairs.

After we were all sitting down, Mr. Sanders began the appointment.

"So Mr. and Mrs. Cullen, what may I do for you today?" he inquired.

Edward cleared his throat. "Well, Mr. Sanders, I am here on behalf of Isabella, who is my cousin. Her parents, my aunt Renee Dwyer, uncle Charlie Swan, and her stepfather Phil Dwyer-my new uncle-were killed three days ago when the terrorists attacked the North Tower. Isabella told me that the building collapsed just before they could exit it," he stated.

What? I wasn't his cousin! He wasn't even related to my family! Something was up, but I kept my face blank and neutral. I didn't want Mr. Sanders to get suspicious.

Mr. Sanders' expression turned grave and sympathetic. "I am very sorry to hear that. What a terrible loss."

Edward pursed his lips sadly. "Yes. And I am here-" he continued, taking my portfolio out of the briefcase he had along with another one. "-because I would like to adopt and gain custody of her. Esme and I are the only living relatives that she has left."

Mr. Sanders gave a broad smile. "It is very considerate of you to think of taking her in. Just give me your identication and social sercurity cards, a copy of your current bills, passports, and proof that you are in fact related to Isabella Swan. I will also need information on her parents and stepfather. This should take no more than an hour and a half to process."

Edward handed both of the portfolios to him and Mr. Sanders went straight to work. He nodded as he examined the documents.

"You were born on June 20, 1983, is that correct, Mr. Cullen?" he queried, peering at Edward over his spectacles.

"Yes, sir," Edward responded.

Mr. Sanders shifted a few papers to the side. "And Mrs. Cullen, you were born on May 4, 1983?"

Esme nodded. "Yes, Mr. Sanders."

"And Isabella Swan, you were born on September 13, 1987?"

"Yes, sir," I replied.

"Happy Belated," Mr. Sanders half-smiled.

I blushed. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

He looked over our social sercurity cards, Edward and Esme's bills, and Renee, Charlie, and Phil's documents.

Once he was finished, he asked Edward if he had proof that I was related to him.

"A family tree is in the middle of my portfolio," Edward said.

Mr. Sanders leafed through the papers until he found it. Then he sat back and read it quietly.

I could feel myself become tense. What if he thought that it was a fake document and didn't believe Edward? I didn't want Edward and Esme to be imprisoned.

"All right, so both of your great-grandparents were Robert Clark and Eunice Peterson Clark?" Mr. Sanders questioned, gazing at Edward and I.

Edward nodded, and I did so to pretend that nothing was wrong. After all, it was mostly true. Robert and Eunice Clark were my great-grandparents, but not Edward's.

He stared at the paper again. "Robert and Eunice gave birth to Marie and Samson. Marie is Isabella's maternal grandmother, and Samson is your maternal grandfather, am I right, Mr. Cullen?"

"Yes, Mr. Sanders."

"Marie Clark married David Higginbotham and conceived Renee. Renee married Charie Swan, and in turn gave birth to you, Isabella?"

"Yes, sir."

"And your mother divorced your father a few months after you were born and married Phil when you were thirteen?"

I inclined my head.

Mr. Sanders turned his attention back to Edward. "Samson Clark married Michelle Fields and conceived Elizabeth, who was your mother. She married Edward Anthony Mason and gave birth to you. Then, when you were fifteen, both of your parents died in a car accident, and you were adopted by a Carlisle Cullen? You and Esme Anne Cullen-whose maiden name is Platt and was also adopted by Carlisle Cullen-had celebrated your marriage in July, am I right?"

Edward bobbed his head. "That is correct, sir."

Gathering the papers together, Mr. Sanders stood. "All righty, then. I will process the information to make sure that it is eligible and make a copy of all the necessary documents. Wait right here."

We nodded again.

After about twenty-five minutes, Mr. Sanders came back. I was relieved to see that he didn't look angry or had a somebody-is-in-MAJOR-trouble look on his face. "All of your information went through without problem, Mr. Cullen." he declared. He reached into a folder that he was holding and pulled out a small stack of papers. He signed a few, highlighted something on most of them, then gave them to Edward. "I will need you and your wife to read and sign the places that are highlighted. These are the documents granting you custody of Isabella Marie Swan and the permission to adopt her. Once you are finished, everything will be completed, and you can leave."

It took some time for Edward and Esme to read the papers and fill everything out. I just sat in my chair, waiting for them patiently.

Finally, the last of the paperwork was signed.

Mr. Sanders took the documents with a grin. "Thank you very much, Mr., Mrs. Cullen, and Miss Swan-Cullen. I wish the best of luck to all of you. I shall be visiting you soon to make sure that everything is in order," he added.

Edward, Esme, and I shook his hand and left.

When we were a few blocks away from the Social Services building, I queried, "Um, Edward? How did you get the paperwork saying that we're related? You know that it wasn't true."

Edward turned to me. "I can't answer that question right now, Bella. I will very soon, but not now," he murmured.

"Oh. Okay."

By the time we were back at Carlisle's apartment, it was almost eleven o'clock. Alice and Jasper were sitting in the living room with Carlisle, Emmett, and Rosalie.

Alice bounced up and down as we stepped into the room. "You're back! How did it go?" she demanded eagerly.

Esme smiled. "It went perfectly. Say hello to Bella Cullen, our new daughter!" she announced grandly.

I laughed as everyone cheered and gave me a hug and a kiss. My cheek tingled when Carlisle's lips touched it.

"How does it feel to be officially a part of the family, my dear?" he asked.

"It feels good," I replied with a grin, embracing him and kissing his cheek in return. "I guess I'll have to start calling you Grandpa, hmm?" I joked.

"Nonsense, Bella! Of course not," Carlisle shuddered, looking frightened at the very idea. "No, I'll just be your big brother. I'm too young to be a grandfather, even an adoptive one."

Once everything had settled down, Carlisle fixed me some hot cocoa. "Well, Bella, now that you're a Cullen, I have something of dire importance to reveal you," he said.

"Okay. What is it?" I inquired.

Suddenly, Carlisle grew nervous. "Er...drink your hot chocolate first. Then I will tell you," he stated, fidgeting a little.

I frowned, but nodded and did as he told me.

**Carlisle's POV**

I collected myself as Bella sipped her drink slowly. Jasper sent a wave of calm to me, and I smiled at him in thanks.

Bella was soon finished with her cocoa and gazed at me expectantly. I leaned forward, shooting a furtive glance at Alice, who nodded in encouragement.

I was about to speak when I decided not to tell her what me and me family were right away. Instead, I chose a different tack.

"Bella, I have a question, and I would appreciate it if you gave me a truthful answer, please," I remarked.

She inclined her head, motioning for me to ask it.

I dug my fingers into my palms to keep them from trembling. I wasn't used to feeling this anxious. "Have you noticed anything...unusual about my family since I had took you in?" I asked.

Bella pursed her lips. "Yes...yes, I have," she responded.

I exhaled quietly. "All right. What have you noticed?"

"Well," she began. "I noticed that all of you have gold eyes. You have pale skin that feels very cold and hard like bricks. There are also times when you speak in an old-fashioned manner. And you are all...excuse me for saying this...so beautiful that there are times I think that none of you could possibly be human."

My children and I exchanged significant, startled glances.

I swallowed thickly, turning to Alice once more. She gave me another reassuring nod.

I peered at Bella again. "You are right to wonder if we are human, my dear."

She blinked in shock. "I am?"

"Yes...because we are not human. Not at all."

Bella stared at me long and hard, but there was not one trace of fear in her expression. "Oh. So were you lying to me when I asked you if you were an angel?" she asked in a whisper.

I shook my head. "No. I was telling you the truth. I am not an angel, and neither are my children. We are something completely different," I murmured.

"Okay. So what are you, if not angels or humans?"

Taking a deep breath, I decided to just spit it out. "I don't know how you will take this Bella, but when I tell you, you _must_ promise not to tell anyone else. Otherwise, the circumstances and the consequences will not be so good for us."

Bella nodded. "You're secret is safe with me, no matter what it is. I promise," she vowed solemnly, crossing her heart and holding up her hand.

I grinned faintly and took another deep breath. "Bella...we are vampires."

**Bella's POV**

Carlisle's revelation popped through the apartment like an ear-splitting whiplash.

My jaw dropped. He and his family were _vampires_!

I simply gaped at Carlisle, stunned stupid.

(A/N: DUN, DUN, DUN! So there it is, the revelation! **PLEASE REVIEW!** Tell me what you think or if you have any suggestions.)


	8. Chapter 7: Questions & Not Quite Answers

**Bella's POV**

It took quite some time for the astonishment to wear off. When it had, I felt an odd sense of peace. I was infuriated with myself for not being afraid or even more shocked, or both.

However, it was easy to understand why I didn't feel the latter emotion. Ever since I had first met Carlisle and his family, I knew that there was something strange about them. To find out that they were vampires had confirmed my suspicions.

But, why did I not feel even the slightest bit of fear, unease, and revulsion? They could have decided to feed off of me right then and there, or when Carlisle had took me in, and no one would have found out about it.

Then again, none of them had caused me any harm, especially Carlisle. After all, he had rescued me from the collapsing tower, and he and his family had accepted me as one of them. Plus, they were all unfailingly gracious and kindhearted and loving.

Oh, this was all too much, too confusing!

"Bella?" I heard Carlisle whisper, jerking me out of my tangled thoughts. "Are you all right?"

I nodded. "Yes," I replied in a calm voice. "But there's something that I don't understand. If you are vampires, then...then why did you keep me alive?"

Carlisle smiled, as did everyone else. "It has not taken very long for that to come across your mind, has it? Well, to answer your question, my family and I feed differently from other vampires..." he replied.

"Wait, wait, excuse me. There are more of you?" I demanded in some surprise.

"Yes, there are many more of us. But most of them feed off of humans. However, my family and I drink the blood of animals because we do not want to kill people, which is why our eyes are gold. The vampires who drink human blood have red eyes," Carlisle explained.

I could tell by looking into his own that he was being truthful, and I sighed a little. "Oh. That's good. How long have all of you been vampires?"

"I have been a vampire for three hundred and thirty-eight years, give or take a few months. Jasper has been one since 1863 and Alice was turned into one in 1920. I had changed Edward into a vampire in 1918 because he was dying from Spanish Influenza, and his mother wanted me to save him. In 1921, I had changed Esme. She had tried to commit suicide by jumping off of a cliff after her baby passed away, and as a result, she had broken almost all of her bones. I changed her to spare her life, as I did with Rosalie in 1933, after a group of men attacked her and left her for dead. Finally, I changed Emmett in 1935. He had been mauled by a bear miles away from where Edward, Esme, Rosalie and I were staying at the time. Rosalie found him and begged me to save him, so I did," he concluded.

Once I had absorbed all of this information, I nodded again, pensively this time. "It was noble of you to do that for them and take in. So how old are you really?" I queried.

"Technically, I am about three hundred and sixty-one years old, but I was changed into a vampire at the age of twenty-three. So I suppose that you could say that I am twenty-three, but I have been around for an extremely long time," Carlisle chuckled.

I was right in thinking that he looked to be around twenty-one or twenty-two years old. "And the others?" I inquired, laughing with him.

"Edward and Esme are seventeen, Rosalie is eighteen. She's not really Jasper's twin, but because they look somewhat alike, we say that she is. Alice is between seventeen and twenty-we are not quite sure, since she has no memory of her human life. Jasper is nineteen and Emmett is twenty."

"I see. But why did you tell me that you were twenty-nine and that they were eighteen?"

"Over the years, we travel to different places to keep from attracting attention. We have a lawyer who helps us acquire new identities, new social sercurity cards, etc. Otherwise, people would notice that we don't age and grow old, and we would all be in trouble."

I scowled. "How come?"

Carlisle leaned forward in his seat. "There are three vampires in Italy who are known as the Volturi Kings. I had met them back in the mid-1700s. They have several laws for us, but the most important ones are that we cannot draw attention to ourselves, and that no one is supposed to know about us. Otherwise, if the Volturi finds out that anyone does know, that person and the vampire or vampires that reveal themselves to them would be killed. That is why I asked you not to tell anyone or say anything about us. You still promise not to, correct?" he queried with a worried expression on his face.

I grinned. "Of course I do. As I told you before, you secret is safe with me. Besides, nobody would believe me if I told them," I pointed out.

Edward snorted. "That is very true," he commented.

I was quiet for a moment, taking everything in again, when something was brought to my attention. "You said that you drink animal blood, but you never mentioned anything about eating human food. Are you able to do that?" I asked.

Carlisle made a sour face. "We can, but unfortunately, human food tastes like dirt to us, so we do not. We only ate human food for the past four days because we didn't want you to think that we were more unusual than you had already thought we were. I eat at the hospital because people would think it was strange if I didn't. If you want to know why we know how to cook, it is through many years of practice," he remarked.

"Oh. Well, you don't have to eat anymore. I don't want any of you to be uncomfortable."

Everyone beamed at me.

Their sunny smiles reminded me of something else. "And are you really sensitive to the sun? Do you burn up and die when it makes contact with your skin?"

Laughter filled the apartment. "No, my dear. In fact, come sit by the window with me. Now that you have brought the matter to our attention, I want to show you something," Carlisle said.

He stepped over to the window and perched on the floor underneath it. I sat next to him.

"This is what happens when we are exposed to the sun," he whispered. He rolled up his sleeves before opening the curtain.

The room was abruptly illuminated with a shimmering light. Carlisle's skin sparkled almost blindingly; it looked as if a zillion diamonds were implanted into it. It was no wonder that he and his children had to cover up when they had to go outside in the daytime. People would definitely notice that something was very strange about them. However, in the sunlight, Carlisle's skin was-

"Beautiful," I murmured in rapture.

"Does any of this not make you feel uneasy or disturbed?" Carlisle inquired, amazed that I was taking everything so well.

I peered into his eyes. "No," I responded earnestly. "So, what else? Do you sleep?"

"No. We don't need to sleep."

"Then why-?"

"-do we have shadows under our eyes?"

I bobbed my head.

Carlisle sighed. "Because we have to hunt very soon. When we hold off our thirst for a long time, it begins to take a toll on our eyes. First, bruises form under them, and then our irises start to turn black," he stated.

I gazed at his again. They had darkened into a golden-brown color. "You should go hunting soon," I observed.

"Don't worry about that. We will," he said.

"Do you go to the bathroom or need to wash?"

"Ha ha. No, we do not need to do either. We don't have to wash unless we are dirty, which does not happen very often. I am the only person who showers regularly-in human standards-because I work in a hospital. As we do not sweat or stink (and not very often the latter), it is unnecessary. Sometimes we take baths or showers to relax ourselves, however."

"...That makes sense. Are Edward and Esme, Rosalie and Emmett, and Alice and Jasper really married?"

Carlisle blinked. "Of course they are, my dear...and even if they were not, they would still have been married by fate," he added.

I frowned. "What do you mean by that?" I inquired.

Unrolling his sleeves, he replied, "Edward and Esme are soul mates, like Alice and Jasper, and Rosalie and Emmett are. So, they are already bonded to each other forever. When you find your true other half, you are immediately drawn to each other from the second you lay eyes on them."

"Is that why you never had a date or didn't marry anyone? Because you haven't found your mate yet?"

The atmosphere suddenly changed, and there was an awkward silence. Everyone shifted.

Carlisle cleared his throat. "That is too personal to discuss right now."

I sensed that the matter was not as personal as he claimed. In addition to that, I felt that everyone knew something that they weren't telling me (but should.) However, he said that he couldn't tell me _right now_. Perhaps he would later, so I dropped the subject for his sake and nodded. I could wait.

"All right, then. Forget that I asked that. Is there anything else that I need to know?" I questioned.

Alice stood up. "Yes. We are incredibly fast and incredibly strong," she declared.

I smirked. "Prove it!" I commanded.

She ordered Emmett and Rosalie to get off of the sofa. Then, she lifted it up with one hand, and held it over her head. It did not fall; she was balancing it perfectly. Jasper picked up the loveseat and laid it on top of the sofa, as well as two tables and the armchair.

My eyes widened. "Whoa," I breathed.

"Oh, Bella," I heard Rosalie whisper in my ear. I turned to look at her, but as soon as I did, she vanished. When I turned back around, she was standing by the stove. I blinked, and suddenly, she was in front of me. I jumped a foot in the air, startled.

"See?" she asked with a smile.

I grinned faintly. "Yes, I see," I muttered sheepishly. "Is that it?"

Edward shook his head. "No. The other thing you have to know is that some vampires have special abilities or powers. Some, but not all. For example, Alice, Jasper, and I do. Alice has visions of the future, but they are subjective. A change of decision would lead to a different future, and a different vision. Jasper is pathokinetic; he can feel and control emotions, so to speak. And I can read minds, even over long distances, with the exception of yours. I don't know why, although I believe what Carlisle says about your mind being shielded." he implied.

I was stunned. "Really?" I queried, glanced at Carlisle, who nodded in confirmation.

"Oh, and one more thing," Emmett piped up. "We have an excellent sense of hearing and smelling. Up to five miles in hearing and a hundred in smelling. We have strong visions too. For instance, we can see some of the buildings in New Jersey."

Damn! Even I couldn't see that far! Then again, I was not a vampire.

"Am I going to be changed too?" I inquired.

Carlisle answered me. "No. Not for a few years, anyway. It is strictly forbidden to turn anybody under the age of sixteen into a vampire. There have been several disasters involving what are called Immortal Children. Their feeding habits are entirely too unstable, since as children and babies, they have uncontrollable thirst. When set loose, they terrorize villages and small towns, feeding off of everyone they see and come in contact with. The Volturi find out about this very quickly, and destroy the children, as well as their creators. It happened with my own family. There is a group-or coven-of vampires in Alaska who we think of as our cousins. One of them, Sasha, was executed after she had changed three-year-old boy named Vasilii into a vampire. She had wanted a child who would always remain as one, but unfortunately, it led to her demise. This happened long before my time. My cousins, Irina, Kate, and Tanya, were the ones who told me her story."

My shoulders drooped. "Oh. That explains it. But it's sad, especially since the children have to die. It's too bad that their thirst is unstable."

"Yes, it is. We aren't frightening you, are we, my dear? Perhaps we should not have told you what we were?"

"I'm actually pleased that you have revealed to me what you are. It doesn't scare me at all. I mean, it's not as if I had to worry about any of you hurting me."

Everybody cringed.

Dread started to build up in my abdomen for the first time. "Am I wrong?" I queried.

Carlisle sighed again and took my hands in his. Electric whizzed through them, but I was too busy listening to him to notice. "Yes, you are wrong Bella, but not entirely. You see, Jasper is still new to using our feeding habit, so he has trouble when he is in close proximity with humans. Before he joined our family in 1950, he had fed off of them. I almost didn't want to bring you here because I was afraid he would attack you. So far, he hasn't, but as it is still hard for him to be around your strawberry and freesia scent, there is an off chance that he could slip. And Edward is partial to the scent of strawberries, which is why he doesn't want to be around you so much, in fear of harming you or worse," he murmured.

I gazed at Edward and Jasper in horror and sympathy. "Why didn't you say something about this before? I don't want either of you to suffer or mess up your diet because of me!" I exclaimed.

Admiration and alarm lit up their faces, as well as the others.

Esme chuckled in surprise. "Oh, Bella, what are we going to do with you? When you should be concerned about your safety, you are more worried about them ruining their diet and going through personal agony?" she demanded in amusement.

"Yes, but it's because I know that you all must have worked hard to keep up your diet, especially when you don't want to murder anybody," I remarked.

"That is true. But if I were you, I would spare half of your concern for myself," Esme proclaimed.

"So what do we do? I don't think that it would be best to live with you and Edward if my scent bothers him. I'm not saying that I don't want to be your daughter anymore, but..."

Alice held up her hand. "We understand, Bella. And don't worry. Carlisle, Jasper and I had already discussed this on the night he took you in," she assured.

Carlisle squeezed my hand. "We were wondering if you would like to live here with Alice, Jasper and I? Or perhaps with Emmett and Rosalie until Edward and Jasper are used to your scent?" he inquired.

"But Jasper..." I began.

Alice interruped me. "I know, Bella. Jasper and I were going to stay with Rosalie and Emmett for a while if you chose to stay here. They don't mind. Moreover, it's best that you do anyway. Carlisle has been around humans for a very long time. He is pretty much immune to the scent of human blood, so it doesn't affect him. After all, he is a doctor. Besides, if you had an accident, I don't know if Emmett or Rosalie would be able to handle themselves. Your scent _is_ rather strong, I'll admit, but it doesn't affect me, Emmett, Esme, or Rosalie as much. But you would have to spend most of your time here at Carlisle's anyway, the situation being what it is. Besides, Esme, Rosalie and I will be here to assist him with certain...problems that you may have," she concluded.

It didn't take a whiz to know what she was talking about. I leaned back and considered everything she told me for several minutes.

As much as I wanted to live with Emmett and Rosalie-the circumstances being what they were-I chose to stay at Carlisle's apartment almost immediately. Even though I was afraid to admit it to myself, I couldn't bear the thought of staying away from him. But I needed to, as much as possible. Living with him meant that I had to set some standards. The first one would be to stay out of his hair most of the time and stick close to Alice, Esme, and Rosalie. Alice must have saw what I planned. She opened her mouth to say something, but she seemed to change her mind, for she closed it. I didn't want him to grow tired of me or become distant from me because I was imposing. And of course, I would keep my original plans of eating even when I wasn't hungry, and letting someone know when I wanted to be alone.

However, since I knew that Carlisle meant it when he told me that he-including everyone else-would be there for me, I was willing not to push him away too much. In his own way, I knew he felt indebted to helping me after saving my life, and I owed him the chance to do so. I was, truthfully, quite grateful that he cared about me as much as he did. I loved it when he comforted me and sang songs to me in Italian after all.

It was then I realized something astounding. Whenever I had a nightmare, and he comforted me, I didn't have any more the second time I went to sleep. That he had this type of effect on me was..._indescribable_.

Still, I was a big girl. I had to help myself too. Oh yes, I knew that Carlisle would want to assist me, and I would do half of the work. We would share the burden equally.

Besides, if I lived here, then it would give Edward and Jasper peace of mind. Also, I didn't want to run the risk of hurting myself around Rosalie and Emmett (as I was liable to do.) I knew that if they had harmed me or worse, they would deeply regret it forever.

"Okay," I announced after a while. "I'll stay here with Carlisle. I don't want Edward or Jasper to do something that they would regret. I don't want Rosalie and Emmett to either."

Carlisle beamed. God, but he was so handsome...

_Stop it, Isabella Swan! Pay attention!_ I chastised myself.

"Then it is settled," he declared. He nudged me playfully. "I guess that I am stuck with you again."

"Yes, I guess so," I smiled, lightly pushing his shoulder.

Esme laid a hand on my arm. "You are still free to visit Edward and I at our house whenever you want. We'll set up our spare bedroom so that Mr. Sanders doesn't suspect that anything is out of place. But I will spend half of my time here to help you with anything you need, as will Alice and Rosalie."

I nodded. "Sure. That's fine."

"And I will be over so that I can fill out my big brother role!" Emmett proclaimed, thumping his chest.

We chortled and everyone hugged and kissed me again.

**Carlisle's POV**

I was so ecstatic that Bella wanted to stay here. It would be easier for me to watch over her and protect her if she lived with me than with Edward and Esme. Of course, Esme would take care of her for me while I was at work. Nevertheless, I knew that I would worry about Bella every second that she was gone from my presence.

I was completely amazed that she was not afraid of me and my children in spite of what we were. Even after I had revealed to her that we were vampires, her reaction was not what we had expected it to be. Had I known that she would honestly have not been frightened of us, and that she would accept what we were (without question, I might add, which all the more shocked me), it would have saved me some anxiety.

However, she had no reason to be. As she had pointed out, we kept her alive. Moreover, I had saved her life, and took her in when she had nowhere else to go or turn to.

How was it that I would be blessed with such a gracious, reflective, pure being for a soul mate?

After embracing Bella, I moved away. "We ought to celebrate Edward and Esme's adoption and Bella's induction to the family. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch and dinner, my dear? I will cook both meals for you, and we can have a small party," I stated.

Squealing, Alice jumped up and down. "Ooh! A party! I'll get the music right away!" she claimed. She left the room to get her CDs.

Rosalie turned to me. "I'll be right back. I have to get something from my house."

She glanced meaningful at Esme, who brightened and nodded. "So do I. It will only take a few minutes."

I smiled. "Of course. Hurry back."

Esme and Rosalie donned their coats and exited the apartment. Edward, Jasper, and Emmett followed them.

Bella fidgeted. "This isn't really necessary. I don't need anyone to throw a party for me," she complained.

"Don't be silly, my dear. We have every reason to throw one. It has been a long time since we had a new addition to the family. And since Edward and Esme have adopted you, why not celebrate?" I questioned.

"But I don't like parties very much," Bella said.

"What!?" Alice shrieked, ghosting back into the room. "You don't like parties!? How could you not like them?"

Bella grimaced. "They're too noisy for me. A party will just get on my nerves."

Alice shook her head in mortification. "Oh, Bella. Do you know how to have fun?"

"If I try to have fun, I would most likely injure myself. I'm too clumsy to have fun!"

"Bella, what _are_ we going to do with you?" Alice groaned.

I raised my hands. "That's enough, Alice. Bella, if it gets too loud for you, I'll turn the music down. This is mainly your party, as it is Edward's and Esme's. You should relax and enjoy yourself. What is your favorite lunch? You have to be hungry. You haven't eaten since six o'clock this morning. It's after twelve now," I observed.

Calming down, Bella crossed her arms and thought about it. "Well, that's a tough one. I suppose that my favorite thing to eat for lunch is tuna fish sandwiches with toasted white bread and tomato soup," she whispered, more to herself than me.

"That's sounds very tasty, even though I can't eat human food. I'll have it ready for you shortly."

I had just poured the tomato soup into a pot when the others returned. Esme and Rosalie were carrying Bella's birthday presents.

They held them out to her. "We wanted to give these to you yesterday, but you weren't in the mood," Esme stated.

Bella frowned. "You didn't have to give me anything for my birthday. I don't want any of you to spend your money on me," she protested.

"You don't have to be so selfless all of the time, Bella," Rosalie commented sternly. "These are _presents_, not a charity case. Here...open them."

Bella hesitated as she took the brightly-colored packages.

"Go ahead. Open them," she repeated.

After she did, her mood lightened considerably. She smiled as she unwrapped a radio/CD player from Emmett, a laptop ("Now, you really shouldn't have bought this!" she gasped.) along with its power cord from Rosalie, a digital camera from Edward, and a personal stationery and a box of designer clothes from Esme.

She thanked them kindly before taking her gifts to her room.

It was not long before her lunch was prepared. I laid the food down on the coffee table in front of her.

"Thank you," she grinned. My heart grew warm again. I wished that it would stop doing that. It was beginning to get a little unsettling.

Once she had finished eating, the party started. There was singing, dancing, and a ton of laughter. Bella did not participate in the dancing or singing, even when the others begged her to.

"I can't sing. I sound like a chicken getting run over by a car!" she said with a scowl.

"Can you dance, at least?" Jasper inquired.

"Sure, but only if you want to take me to the hospital afterwards," Bella retorted.

I covered my mouth to hide my snickers. "Leave her alone, Jasper. If she doesn't want to dance or sing, she doesn't have to."

Rolling her eyes at me, Rosalie muttered, "Carlisle, you are going to spoil Bella rotten."

I shrugged. "Someone has to do it. It might as well be me."

"Not if Esme and I do first," Edward joked.

"Oho! You want to bet on that?" I challenged.

Edward stood and puffed out his chest. "Yeah!" he yelled. He turned his attention to Bella. "Bella, Esme and I will give you anything you want!"

"Don't drag me into this!" Esme grumbled.

I bolted out of my seat. "Bella, my dear, don't listen to him! When you wake up every morning, there will be a dozen gifts on your sidetable drawer. Wait and see," I declared.

"Two dozen!" Edward announced, pushing me.

"Seven dozen!" I proclaimed, pushing him harder.

"Sit down!" Esme shouted, yanking Edward back into his seat. "Both of you need to grow up."

I grinned smugly at them before whispering in Bella's ear, "Fourteen dozen plus the whole wide world. Including the jewels of Christendom."

Bella giggled. "You don't have to do that."

"Oh, but I want to. Besides, I cannot let Edward beat me." _She **is** my soul mate after all_, I thought to him, sticking my tongue out at him immaturely.

Edward gave me a mock dirty look.

Shaking her head and chuckling, Bella murmured, "You guys are crazy."

**Bella's POV**

The party lasted until five o'clock in the afternoon. I was sure that it would have lasted longer, the way Alice was running was it. However, when a headache started to form near my right temple, Carlisle put a stop to the festivities. He went to the kitchen and came back with two Aleve pills and a glass of water.

"Here, Bella, take these. It will make you feel better soon," he remarked.

"Thank you," I smiled.

After I had drank all of the water, I set the cup down on the table and laid my head on Carlisle's shoulder. Mmm, his scent so masculine. He smelled of musk cologne and pine forests. Sweet and soft, yet sharp. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath and inhaling his aroma.

Carlisle shifted and I felt him lift me up and place me on his lap. He tucked my head under his chin and rocked back and forth, humming quietly. I felt extremely comfortable.

"Aww," everyone cooed.

I felt somewhat annoyed and embarrassed. "Shut up," Carlisle and I grunted at the same time. We shared a laugh.

As the minutes passed, I slowly became tired. His scent was making me drowsy.

I climbed off of him. "I'm going to take a nap, so I guess I'll see you guys later," I mumbled, embracing everyone.

"Okay," Edward said.

"Have a good nap," Esme grinned.

"Sweet dreams, my dear," Carlisle added, kissing me forehead.

"Good night, Bella," Alice stated.

Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper nodded to me.

I was almost out of the room when I thought of something that I hadn't thought of before and turned around.

"Hey, Alice, didn't Edward say that you have visions of the future?" I questioned.

Alice inclined her head. "Yes, why?" she queried.

"Because I was wondering...is that how you knew that I was...?"

"Going to find your parents and stepfather at the North Tower? Of course."

I was bewildered. "There were millions of people who were looking for their family or friends that day. Why were your visions so centered on me?"

Everybody exchanged significant glances.

"Well," Alice began. "I wasn't quite sure until I realized that you were crucial to our family. That's why I sent Carlisle to find you."

"But how am I crucial to our family?" I asked.

Everyone glanced at each other once more.

Alice just shrugged. "I don't know, but I guess we'll find out soon."

She was lying to me. I could sense it; something was lurking behind her evasive response. On top of that, the expressions on the others' faces seemed too placid, too suspicious. But I let it go.

"Okay. So if you had the vision, then why did you send Carlisle to find me instead of finding me yourself?" I inquired.

More pointed glances were exchanged. All right, something was most definitely going on. They have done that three times too many.

"Because he's a doctor. If you had gotten hurt during your search, he would have been able to take care of you better than I could," Alice replied.

There was more to that answer, I felt. Why couldn't anyone just tell me the honest truth? Just because I was barely fourteen years old did not mean that I was too young to know, or too young to understand it if they told me.

However, to keep everyone from believing that I was thinking about this too much, I grinned. "Oh. That makes sense. Good night," I added.

They bobbed their heads. "Good night, Bella," they claimed.

I went to my room, shut the door, and laid down. Suddenly, I didn't feel so sleepy anymore, despite the fact that I barely gotten any sleep last night and was up all day.

The wheels in my brain were spinning vigorously as I thought of all of the information I had absorbed that day. All of the mostly-unanswered questions. The secrets that I felt that Alice, Carlisle, and the others were keeping from me.

The only thing I could wonder was why were they keeping them from me? What is something I wasn't supposed to know?

Or was it something that I should?

_"That is too personal to discuss right now_,_"_ I remembered Carlisle saying when I asked him if he had a soul mate.

But why was it? When I had asked him if he was married the first time I had met him, for example, he gave me a straight answer: _"__No, I am not married. I never even went on a date. I guess I haven't found the right person yet."_

And yet, when I had asked Carlisle if he never did because he had never found his mate, he became elusive.

If my suspicions were correct, then he was hiding something from me. Perhaps he had found his mate and did not want to tell me.

And if he had, then who was it? The idea of Carlisle having been bound to someone I did not know made me feel, curiously, sick to my stomach and enraged.

Furthermore...when I had asked Alice why I was so crucial to our family, and why she had sent Carlisle to find me, I could tell that she had a partial reply to my question. Or refused to to give one.

The truth was there, I knew, lingering within my grasp. I would have probably found it right then and there, but my headache grew worse and worse until the pain was pulsing through my skull like a heatbeat, hindering my thought process. But I was going to figure all of this out.

Sooner or later.

**(A/N: What a chapter. Bella is much closer to piecing everything together, just as she realizes she is. PLEASE REVIEW AND LEAVE ANY IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS! That will be truly helpful and productive for me! And thank you for reading! :D)**


	9. Chapter 8: Author's note

This is not an update. I just wanted to remind everyone to pay their respects to those who have died on this infamous day, and to those who are still grieving the loss of their family and friends, and to pray for them as well.

Even though they are fictional, let's pay our respects to Charlie, Renee, Phil, and Bella. Let us wish Bella the best of luck and hope for a miracle.

I will update with a new chapter as soon as I can come up with some ideas. Any suggestions will be helpful. Oh, and I made a small change to chapter five. After the part where Alice said that Edward knew that Carlisle and Bella were soul mates, I wrote that his expression changed to "awe and amazement" when Carlisle told him why he was going to reveal to Bella that they were vampires. I fixed it when I realized the mistake. I apologize if I had caused you any bewilderment.

Thank you!

~Iridescent Springs~


	10. Chapter 9: The Accident & The Survivor

**Carlisle's POV**

"We need to be more careful. Bella is closer to finding out that you are her mate than it is intended for her to be," Alice warned me with a troubled expression.

I frowned. "How? We had never hinted that she was," I pointed out.

She nodded solemnly. "Yes we did, but not intentionally. She already thinks that it's strange that I sent you to save her without deciding to go myself. She was already suspicious when you said that the matter was personal where discussing if you had a mate was concerned. And when I told her that I sent you because you were a doctor, and that you could tend to her if she had gotten hurt, she knew that I wasn't being entirely truthful. And she could tell that I was lying when I pretended not to know why she was important to our family. She knows that we are keeping something from her."

Jasper agreed with her. "If Bella doesn't piece this together from the information that you two gave her, or didn't give her, she will in another way."

"And what way is that?"

"You heard her when she told her friend Gabrielle that she thought that she had a crush on you. But now, she is beginning to realize that she is infatuated with you. Bella is _really_ drawn to you, Carlisle, and she craves your presence to the point where she is addicted to it. And that's saying something, considering the fact that she has only known you for four days. In addition to that, I have fed off quite a large amount of bewilderment from her when she is around you."

Alice broke into the conversation once more. "Yes. I had also seen that Bella realizes that she would do anything to oblige you. Plus, she realizes that if she refused to do anything for anyone else, she would do it for you if you asked her to. However, she plans to put all of this to a stop and help herself more often, or let one of us help her, though she is willing to let you assist her at times. Bella does not want you to think that she is too reliant on you, for fear that you will push her away or become distant from her, especially if she thinks that you know that she is infatuated with you."

I scowled in disbelief. "But I would _never_-!" I began.

Alice held up her hand. "Yes, we know that, Carlisle. The fact is, however, that Bella does not. And you can see where she is coming from. She is very intelligent for her age, as we all know. She knows what could happen if she let herself get carried away by her feelings, and threw herself upon you because of them. Moreover, she doesn't want you to get into trouble, and I can't blame her. If someone thought that you were close to her in an inappropriate way, you _would_ be in trouble. And Bella doesn't want that because she really cares for you," she remarked.

Alice and Bella had a point. "So, what should I do? I don't want to tell her that she is my soul mate just yet," I said.

"Don't do anything. Just pretend as if we didn't have this conversation and keep going as if you don't know how she feels about you. Remember, if she figures out that you know, even the slightest bit, she may distance herself from you. But you know that it will be difficult for her, as your bond is very strong."

"And _if_ she finds out that we are soul mates?"

Pursing her lips, Alice replied, "I don't know, but if she does, I'll know what her intentions are. If it's anything that will get you in trouble, I could waylay her. However, I don t think that there is much chance that I'll have to do that, knowing Bella."

I nodded.

No one did very much for the next few hours. I started to read a medical journal, sometimes drifting out of focus when I was lost in thought.

When night fell, I put on a light jacket and grabbed my keys.

"Where are you going?" Esme asked in curiosity.

"Nowhere of importance. I'll be back soon," I replied before shutting the door. There was something I wanted to do, but didn't tell anyone, though Alice and Edward knew. I left the apartment and stepped into my Mercedes.

**Bella's POV**

My headache was gone by the time I woke up early the next morning. I sat up and yawned, feeling well rested. I was astounded that I haven't had a nightmare for two nights in a row. I hoped that they would stay away.

It was quiet. For a second I thought that Alice, Jasper, and Carlisle may have been asleep, but then I remembered everything they had told me the day before.

I was about to climb out of bed when I spotted something on the side-table drawer on my right. On four green stems were orange and yellow bells shaped like flowers. I shook them, and the sound of aerial chimes filled the room, making me smile. A book, called _Emily of New Moon _that was tied with a stripped orange and yellow ribbon, laid next to it. I had never read it before, but it had to be good. After all, it was written by L.M. Montgomery. There was also a dish of Jolly Ranger and chocolate caramel Creme Saver candies, which was placed closer to the bed. Finally, there were a dozen medium-sized glass sculptures of beautiful, sparkling ducks and swans. There was no note saying who gave me these gifts, but somehow, I already knew.

I thought that he was only messing around about giving me bedside presents!

"Carlisle?" I called in a low, soft voice.

There was a knock on the door before Carlisle entered the room. Such a gentleman; he really didn't having to do that. It wasn't as if I didn't know he was coming.

"Yes?" he inquired.

I went over to him and gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you," I whispered. I didn't want to say that it was unnecessary to give me the gifts. That would hurt his feelings.

**Carlisle's POV**

My cheek felt both hot and tingly when Bella kissed it. Even when she moved away, the sensation remained, unnerving me. Thank goodness that I could not blush!

"You are welcome, Bella. But how did you know that I was the one who put the flowers and the book and the candy there? It could have easily been Edward," I pointed out.

Bella nodded, considering this. "Yes, that's true. It could have been him, but I don't know how I knew it was you. I just did. But I thought that you and Edward were just joking around with each other," she remarked.

I smiled a little. "We were not joking at all. Well, I was serious about leaving presents on your drawer. Nevertheless, I am positive that Edward, and maybe even Esme, _would_ give you anything that you wanted, if you asked them. As long as it wasn't something that you did not need or wasn't good for you."

"Oh. Well, thank you again, for everything. They are all very nice gifts, Carlisle. I really like them. You are so sweet." She embraced me once more. "But you know that you don't have to-"

"I am pleased that you like them, Bella. And don't worry about anyone giving you anything. It is no trouble at all, my dear." I was still grateful that I could not blush. She thought that I was sweet! I knew that it was silly to feel so elated over a mild compliment, but I just couldn't help myself.

**Bella's POV**

After a moment, Carlisle planted a kiss on my forehead and backed away.

I did the same. "Well...I'm going to get dressed. I'll see you guys in a bit," I added.

Carlisle bobbed his head and grinned, then left the room.

Within a half an hour, I had taken a shower and put on some clothes. I went to the kitchen to see Carlisle and Esme making breakfast.

"You don't have to cook for me, you know," I declared in a polite voice.

Esme waved her hand. "It's no trouble at all, sweetie. You may sit down and relax," she assured me.

"No really, I appreciate everything you're doing for me. Don't get me wrong. But I'm used to making food for everyone else including myself," I grunted, attempting to edge into the spot between them.

"Hold on. What do you mean?" she demanded in a puzzled voice, laying a hand on my arm to stop me.

"I mean that when I...I lived with my mother and stepfather and visited my dad, I cooked all of the meals unless we ordered out. Besides that, I paid the bills, did the laundry, took care of the bookkeeping, and cleaned the house."

"Damn!" Alice exclaimed. "It's no wonder that you don't know how to have fun! How long has that been going on?"

"Watch your mouth, please," Carlisle admonished.

I glanced at her. "Since I was ten," I responded.

Carlisle frowned. "Did they make you do all of this?"

I shook my head. "No. Mom and Dad didn't know how to cook. My stepdad Phil knew how to a little, but not much. He only knew how to cook "fast food." Mom and Phil were always busy with the work that they brought home anyway, so they didn't have much time to tend to the house. And Dad was occupied too, with all of the paperwork that he used to receive." I tried to take the skillet from him, but he held it above my head. I kept jumping to reach it, which made him laugh. "Come on! Give me the skillet. Please?"

Carlisle stuck his tongue out at me. "Nope! Sorry!"

Esme pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. "Hmm. Well, you don't have to do any of that here," she stated.

"Come here, you stubborn thing," Carlisle murmured affectionately, placing the skillet on the stove. He lifted me up and plopped me down onto a chair at the table. "We'll take care of everything. All we want is for you to relax, have fun, and be a teenager."

"But I hardly know how to be a teenager! And besides, how will I earn my keep?" I protested.

He smirked at me. "We'll worry about that later. And I'm sure that the others, especially Emmett, can show you how to be a teenager."

I relented. I just couldn't refuse him or argue with him, no matter how much I wanted to. "All right."

Carlisle pecked me on the cheek and returned to the stove. I almost wished that he wouldn't give me kisses. My skin would burn and prickle where his lips touched it every time he did, which was odd, because his skin was cold. Truthfully, however, I didn't mind it at all.

Not long afterwards, a plate of scrapple with an omelet, and a cup of grape juice, was laid in front of me. A lump rose in my throat, and tears filled my eyes.

"Bella, what's the matter?" Jasper queried.

I wiped my eyes. "Nothing," I replied in a thick voice. I hurriedly took a bite of my food.

"_Something_ is wrong. Why don't you tell us what it is?" Esme questioned in a soft whisper, stroking my back.

"It's nothing, really. Scrapple and omelets just remind me of Mom. It was her favorite breakfast," I sniffed.

"Oh, I see. If you would like to eat something else, I'll be more than happy to-"

I held up my hands. "No, no! It's okay, I don't mind having this for breakfast. I just felt a little sad for a moment, that's all. I'm fine."

To prove my point, I continued to eat the meal, although it was with a heavy heart. Esme looked as if she wanted to say something else, but decided not to. Everyone else glanced at me in sympathy.

When the last bit of my omelet was gone, Carlisle took my plate and silverware. "I'll wash these for you, Bella. You may do whatever you like," he remarked with a gentle smile.

"I'll help you," I offered, standing up.

"That's all right, Bella, but it won't take long for me to clean up. Go and have some fun," Carlisle insisted.

"But-" I tried to protest. _And he says that **I'm** stubborn. Rosalie is right. He** is** going to spoil me rotten, _I thought to myself.

Alice stepped into the kitchen and took my hand in hers. "Come on, Bella. We'll find something to do," she said, leading me into the living room. "Do you want to watch TV?"

I shook my head. "No," I grumbled, knowing that the only thing that would be discussed or shown was the terrorist attacks. I didn't even want to think about it right then.

"We don't have to specifically watch TV. We have movies, you know. Here-pick a few," Alice requested.

"Okay," I whispered with a sigh as she pulled me down in front of the entertainment center.

There were many movies to choose from. After much consideration, I pulled out _Rush_ _Hour_, _Carrie_, and _Shakespeare in Love_. Carlisle joined Alice, Esme, Jasper, and I before Alice could even turn the DVD on.

Just as _Rush Hour_ was starting, Edward, Emmett, and Rosalie arrived, and they decided to watch the movie with us.

Alice, Jasper, Edward and Esme sat on the couch. Emmett and Rosalie settled themselves on the loveseat. I perched on the floor in front of Rosalie, where I could see the TV better. And as usual, Carlisle relaxed in his armchair.

It was then that I was hit with a sudden thought. Carlisle had to be the most loneliest person in the family. All of his children had found their soul mates, but he himself did not have one after all these years-as far as I knew. Of course, I was still unsure about it because he didn't really answer my question when I asked if he hadn't found his. I hated to see him all by himself. Before I knew what I was doing, I was sitting down before him instead, leaning my head against his knees.

Carlisle stroked my hair, then picked me up and set me on his lap.

I snuggled into him. The floor wasn't very comfortable anyway. "Aren't you getting annoyed by me yet?" I was compelled to inquire.

"No, of course I'm not. Whatever gave you that notion?" he chuckled.

"We seem to hang around each other a lot. I'm sure that you don't want to be bothered by a pesky teenager."

He rose an eyebrow. "Do you really think that you're pesky?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. But I'm sure that you must think that I am."

"I don't think that you are the least bit pesky. Just very selfless and stubborn at times, but in a good way."

"Oh." I sighed to myself in relief. I was glad that he didn't find me irritating.

Carlisle tucked my head under his chin. "What did you come over here for, if you don't mind me asking? Sorry if my question came off as rude; I did not intend for it to be," he remarked.

I grinned at him. "I know that you didn't. You just...appeared lonely to me, I guess," I mumbled, embarrassed by that admission.

"And I thought that _I_ was the sweet one..."

I blushed. "Shut up."

Carlisle snickered and kissed the top of my hair. "Thank you for deciding to keep me company. I was a little lonely."

"Shhhh! Be quiet!" Emmett hissed.

I turned and blew a raspberry at him.

"GRRRR!" Emmett growled mockingly, standing up and hurling a pillow at me.

Carlisle deflected it. "Enough of that. Pick up the pillow, sit down, and watch the movie, please."

Pretending to glare at me, Emmett muttered, "You're lucky that Carlisle blocked the pillow for you."

"Don't get mad at me because he bossed you," I snorted.

Everyone laughed.

**Carlisle's POV**

How could Bella tell that I felt lonely? Did I make it obvious that I was? Or was it because she noticed that I was sitting all by myself, when Edward and the others were sitting with their mates, and pitied me because she believed that I didn't have one? Well, it wasn't as if she knew that she was my mate. Still, I didn't want her to feel sorry for me, even though I thought that it was very endearing that she did.

**Bella's POV**

For the next several hours, we continued to watch the movies I had picked out, plus another two that Alice chose to see. By the time they were over, the sun had set. The sky was orange-yellow and pink.

"Well, I guess I better pack my suitcase if I'm going to stay at Emmett and Rosalie's for a while," Jasper declared, heading for his and Alice's bedroom.

She trailed after him. "I'll help. Besides, I have to pack too."

I climbed off of Carlisle's lap, regretting it instantly because I was so comfortable, and made my way to the kitchen. I was hungry and wanted some ice cream. However, when I peeked inside the freezer, I saw that there wasn't any.

I grabbed some money from my purse before going back to the living room. "Is there a store nearby? I wanted to buy some ice cream," I stated.

"There is a grocery market around the corner. As soon as you walk out the apartment, go left and make a left turn at the end of the block," Carlisle instructed. He pulled a wallet out of his back pocket, reached inside, and held out a ten dollar bill.

I pushed his hand away. "You don't have to give me any money. I have some."

He smirked and rolled his eyes. "Please take it anyway, Selfless Bella, in case you find anything else you would like. And here are the keys."

There was no point in arguing. "If you insist." I took the bill with resignation. "I'll be right back."

"All right. Be careful," he warned.

I slid on my jacket and left the apartment.

**Carlisle's POV**

Edward shook his head at me. "You're acting more like her parent than Esme and I are, Dad," he chortled.

I chuckled. "No. More like a doting, spoiling, supporting older brother," I amended.

Esme harrumphed. "You're right about that," she whispered.

**Bella's POV**

I found the market with no trouble. I picked up a basket that was standing near the automated doors. After that, I walked around, searching for the frozen foods. They turned out to be in the aisle on the far right.

I put a container of chocolate ice cream inside the basket, as well as cookie and cream ice cream. That was all I meant to get, but then I spotted some bags of fresh green grapes, so I threw one in the basket.

A short time later, I was standing in line with a basket full of healthy things to eat. In addition to the ice cream and grapes, I picked out some baby carrots, a bag of garden salad, ranch dressing, two packs of ground turkey, four apples, four oranges, and a loaf of wheat bread. Carlisle was right to give me an extra ten dollars; the ground turkey cost more than three dollars!

The line moved sluggishly. By the time I made it to the checkout, fifteen long minutes had passed. I quickly paid for the food and headed home, groaning with relief. Waiting in lines for a certain amount of time was so tedious.

I entered the apartment building and headed for the elevator. It was broken, so I had to take the stairs. I went up slowly, pausing to rest and catch my breath on each landing.

When I reached the landing between the third and fourth floors, I could hear thumping coming from the other side of Carlisle's door. I took a deep breath before going up the stairs.

"Is that everything?" I heard Emmett call to someone.

"Yeah!" Jasper yelled to him.

"All right."

Suddenly, the door was pushed open. "Move aside, please Bella!" Emmett proclaimed, tossing a suitcase out of the door.

"No!" I heard Alice scream at the same moment that he said that.

Alice's voice distracted me, and before I could move, the suitcase hit me right in the gut. I lost my balance and flew down the stairs. My groceries bags were jerked out of my hands. The next thing I knew, the left side of my head (where my hair was) crashed into the railing, and I tumbled the rest of the way down. I heard more gasps, and then everything was black.

**Carlisle's POV**

Seething with rage, I went downstairs to get Bella. Alice and Esme picked up the groceries that she had dropped while Edward, Jasper, and Rosalie were bitterly scolding Emmett.

"Emmett, you nincompoop!" Rosalie screeched.

"Why would you do something like that!?" Jasper demanded.

"Are you fucking brainless!? Have you taken leave of your senses!?" Edward fumed.

I glanced at him. "Language, Edward!" I proclaimed in a stern voice.

"Do you need me to call an ambulance, Dr. Cullen?" my neighbor, Miss Torrington, queried as I lifted Bella up.

"No, thank you. I have everything under control," I grunted.

I laid Bella carefully on the sofa and checked for any broken bones. Luckily, she didn't have any, although she had a few bumps and bruises that (thankfully) weren't visible. There was no internal or external bleeding, and she was breathing on her own. Still, she needed to go to the hospital right away.

When I was sure that Bella wasn't too hurt, I pivoted and yanked Emmett up by his collar.

"_How could you be so damn heedless, Emmett!? Didn't you hear her coming up the stairs!?_" I bellowed in his face, shaking him back and forth. Jasper tried to calm me down, but his efforts were futile.

He cringed, not used to seeing me this infuriated. "Yes-" he faltered.

"_Then why the FUCK did you throw the suitcase out of the door!?_" I was not proud of my usage of language, but at the moment, I was too enraged to give a shit.

"I...I didn't think..."

"That is apparent! I swear, Emmett McCarty Cullen, that if I found out that she has permanent brain damage, _you will be disowned_! DO YOU HEAR ME!?"

"Y-yes, sir..."

Rosalie pulled me away from him. "Let him go! It was only an accident!" she growled defensively.

I took a deep breath and attempted to compose myself. "Fine. Edward, get Bella's medical insurance card, please, and take her to Lenox Hill. I'll accompany you and Esme. Alice, Jasper, you can either stay here or go hunting."

"Can...can we come with you?" Emmett asked, indicating himself and Rosalie.

I squinted at him. "All right," I conceded. "But if I find out that she is seriously harmed, you had better run like hell. Do you understand?"

He nodded. "Yes, sir."

After I had put on a jacket, I carried Bella out of the apartment and into my Mercedes. Edward drove while Esme sat beside him, and I held Bella in the backseat. Emmett followed us in his jeep.

She was still unconscious when we arrived at the hospital a half an hour later. One of my friends from the ER, Dr. Lawrence, immediately had her placed on a stretcher. After we explained what happened, she told me and my family to sit in the waiting room. Edward went up to the front desk to fill out her medical information.

Time seemed to pass by slowly as we waited. I tried to read a few magazines, but it was difficult for me to pay attention to them. I gave it up after a few minutes and paced around the room.

Finally, after more than an hour, Dr. Lawrence entered the room. "Mr. Cullen?" she announced.

Edward and Esme stood, as did Rosalie and Emmett.

"You can see Bella now. She's in room 214," Dr. Lawrence stated.

"How is she?" Edward inquired.

She smiled brightly. "Bella is very fortunate. Other than a mild concussion, and some bruises and a bump on her head, there are no sprains, fractures, broken bones, or any other brain injuries. We will keep her here for the night just to be safe, but after that, she will be able to go home."

Everyone sighed heavily in relief.

I turned to Emmett. "Consider yourself lucky," I hissed at him before we made our way upstairs.

**Bella's POV**

The first thing I heard as I slipped into consciousness was the familiar _beep, beep, beep,_ of a heart monitor. I could also smell alcohol and hear machines whirring.

I groaned in irritation. I was in the hospital...again, for I didn't know how many times. It had to be more than one hundred. I groaned once more.

"Bella?" the voice of a Greek god murmured. "Bella, are you awake?"

"Mmm-hmm," I grunted. With a tiny effort, I opened my eyes.

Carlisle, Edward, Esme, Emmett, and Rosalie were sitting around my bed, their faces creased with anxiety. For a brief minute, I wondered where Alice and Jasper was, but then I realized that it would have been difficult for him to control himself in the hospital, with so many people around and all.

"Bella? Are you feeling any pain?" Carlisle whispered, jerking me out of my reverie.

I did not respond at first. With another grunt, I shifted from left to right a little. A wave of dizziness caused me to stop. "W-Whoa."

"Try to keep still, my dear. You have a mild concussion."

"Oh. Okay." That explained the dizziness. "My head, arms, and legs hurt, and so does my stomach, but not much."

Carlisle grinned. "Wonderful. They must have given you some painkillers, then."

I nodded infinitesimally. "Yeah. How long will I be here?"

"Until tomorrow morning, but only for safety precautions."

Sighing deeply, I mumbled, "I guess that that's not too bad."

"No, it's not. By the way," Carlisle stated abruptly, turning to glare at Emmett, who was on my right. The way that he looked at him made me tremble. "Someone owes you an apology for being the reason why you were brought here in the first place."

Rosalie scowled at him. "Carlisle. You know that he's sorry. Just leave him alone!" she almost yelled.

I was taken aback, and strangely very upset as well, not liking the way she spoke to him. Why was she so angry with him? And why was _I_ more angrier than I should have been?

"Watch your tone, young lady," Carlisle ordered. He shifted his attention back to Emmett. "Well?"

Emmett clutched my hand. "I really am sorry Bella. I shouldn't have threw the suitcase in the first place," he remarked.

"It's okay. I know that you didn't mean to hit me with it. It's my fault for being too slow to move out of the way. I forgive you," I assured.

He smiled in relief. "Thank you, Bella, but it's not your fault. If I hadn't thrown the suitcase, you wouldn't even be here. You would have eaten some cookie and cream ice cream and have gone to bed by now."

I chuckled. "Maybe."

Presently, after a long while, a doctor came in the room. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that you have to leave. Miss Bella needs her rest," she announced.

Esme walked over to me and kissed my forehead. "Edward and I will pick you up in the morning, baby. Love you."

"Love you too, Esme. Bye, guys."

"See you tomorrow, Bella. I love you," Edward stated, kissing my cheek.

"I love you too, Edward."

Rosalie and Emmett both gave me soft hugs. Carlisle did too, and placed so many smooches on my forehead that I began to giggle and protest.

"You coddle me too much," I hissed so that the doctor wouldn't hear, continuing to laugh.

"I can't help it that you're 'codd-able.'" He kissed me on the head one last time. "I love you, my dear."

Heat boiled in my heart, then spread to my limbs. I felt my face turning red. What the fuck? Why did I react to one simple statement so...so _powerfully_? Hell, why did I react to Carlisle himself so powerfully? I could understand why I would have a crush on him (after all, who wouldn't? He was too fucking _handsome_!)

_But_, I suddenly realized that my feelings for him ran far deeper than just a mere crush. It was, for lack of a better word, more like infatuation or obsession.

And it was really beginning to frighten me.

Deciding to worry about this later, I pecked him on the cheek. "You are so corny, Carlisle," I teased, rolling my eyes. Then I embraced him gently so that I wouldn't hurt my arms. "I love you too."

Carlisle patted my hair lightly. "I will see you when you get home in the morning," he muttered.

I nodded, and he and the others left the room quietly.

I wished that Carlisle was able to stay with me.

**Carlisle's POV**

When Bella said that she loved me, an abundance of joy rushed through me. I had to prevent myself from laughing in exultation and whooping and shouting praises, like I had when I found out that I could survive on animals' blood. That was how happy I was.

Edward grinned at me as we left the hospital. "Your thoughts have been very upbeat lately," he joked, nudging me.

"Perhaps," I said in a half-casual voice, but made no further comments.

We stepped into my Mercedes while Rosalie and Emmett climbed into the latter's jeep. We drove our vehicles back to our homes, then proceeded to go hunting. We jumped across the rooftops of upper Manhattan, moving too fast for human eyes to even catch a glimpse of us, until we reached the city's limits. After that, we quickly bolted into the woods.

It wasn't long before we spotted a herd of deer. My throat was burning so much that it ached, and it took four deer to get rid of the pain. I should not have allowed myself to become so thirsty.

Once everyone had their fill, we headed back to Manhattan. The black sky changed to navy blue as we sped out of the forest. On the way back to my apartment, I stopped at a twenty-four hour market that was a few blocks from there to get a few things for Bella as a "Get well" present. Edward and Esme went back to their house to spend some time alone with each other. Emmett and Rosalie chose to go to my apartment to wait for Bella's return.

After I had purchased what I had intended to buy, I made my way home. Emmett and Rosalie were watching television. Alice and Jasper were nowhere to be seen, but I heard them talking in their bedroom.

"Aww, that was _sweet_ of you to buy that for Bella," Alice called to me.

"Oh, mind your own business, pixie," I taunted flippantly, which made her laugh.

I put Bella's gift in the kitchen. Before she arrived, however, I would place it on her bed. It was too large to set it on her side-table drawer. Then, to pass the time, I checked a few things on my laptop and thought of what Bella might want for lunch-if she was given breakfast at the hospital, of course.

**Bella's POV**

Dr. Lawrence had a tray of chicken and vegetable soup, saltine crackers, and apple juice brought up to me after Carlisle and the others went home. I did not enjoy the meal. The soup was bland and crackers were partially stale. However, I ate it all because I hated to waste things.

Pretty soon, all of the food was gone. Dr. Lawrence did a brief check-up and asked a few unimportant questions. She was mainly curious to know what it was like to live with the Cullens and if I liked my new adoptive family. When she asked why Edward and Esme had taken me in, a lump rose in my throat, and I couldn't reply. Understanding that I did not want to talk anymore, she thankfully let me be.

For the rest of the night, I slept fitfully. It was difficult for me to get the rest that I needed, as I was uncomfortable. It did not help when I awakened every two hours to keep my concussion from becoming too serious. There were several dreams here and there, but they ended abruptly every time the doctor shook my arm, so I couldn't make head or tails of them. Maybe it was a good thing though, especially if they were nightmares. The last thing I wanted was to have a terrible dream in a hospital and embarrass myself by crying.

By the next morning, I was so exhausted due to lack of sleep that I could barely keep my eyes open. I hoped that Edward and Esme would come to pick me up soon. The only thing I wanted to do was go home and catch up on some sleep.

"Good morning, Miss Bella," Dr. Lawrence greeted. "Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?"

My stomach rumbled, so I nodded. Unfortunately, my breakfast consisted of tasteless oatmeal, which was not improved even when I added all of the brown sugar that I was given. After I had eaten, I was allowed to take a shower. The warm water soothed my bruises.

When I had gotten dressed in the clothes that Esme left for me the previous night, I relaxed and watched TV until Dr. Lawrence came back at 9:05.

"Your parents are here, Miss Bella," she declared.

She moved aside, and Edward and Esme strolled into the room. Their eyes, which had been a very dark brown the night before, were bright gold once more. They must have went hunting.

I smiled faintly. "Hey," I murmured.

"Hi Bella," they replied at the same time, giving me a hug and a kiss. "How was her stay, Dr. Lawrence? Is she doing better?" Edward queried.

"Well, she seemed to have some trouble sleeping, but other than that, everything is great so far. Her concussion did not get worse, and no other neurological problems had developed. I'll give her one last examination, and if all is well, you can take her home," Dr. Lawrence stated.

Everything turned out to be just as good as she claimed, and after the check-up was over, I was cleared to leave. "Be sure to take it easy for a couple of days," Dr. Lawrence admonished.

Edward gathered up my belongings and we left the room.

We were halfway out of the lobby when a group of paramedics dashed into the hospital while pushing a stretcher. The man lying on it was terribly bruised up, and he had cuts and wounds all over him. Esme pulled me out of the way.

A nurse sitting behind the desk looked up. "Oh my goodness! What happened to him?" she breathed.

"This man was found at Ground Zero-the World Trade Center ruins," one of the paramedic explained when the nurse frowned at him in bewilderment. "Surprisingly, he still alive, but barely."

My head jerked up and my mouth fell as he said that. _Could it be_? A World Trade Center survivor?

I leaned to the side to peer at the man more closely. His hair was indescribably filthy, but glints of red stood out here and there. I was disappointed. I was praying that the man would turn out to be Charlie or Phil.

"Well, admit him right away, and I'll send a few doctors to examine him and find out who he is," the nurse remarked.

"Yes, ma'am," the paramedic responded.

Esme linked her arm through mine and led me out of the automated doors. After going to the parking lot, we got in Edward's car and drove home. I couldn't get the man out of my head through the entire trip.

If _he_ had survived, was it even _marginally_ possible that Mom or Charlie or Phil had as well? If they were still alive, that would be so wonderful! I missed them so much, and I would be beyond happy if I were to find out that they had not been killed at all.

For the first time in what seemed like years, I felt a glimmer of hope.

After we had parked in front of the apartment building forty minutes later, Edward opened the door for Esme and I. He lifted me up in his arms while Esme held my bag of clothes and toiletries.

"I know how to walk, Edward," I protested.

"I never said that you did not, but Dr. Lawrence advised you to 'take it easy.' I'm just following her orders. Besides, I don't want you to get even more tired by climbing up all of those stairs," he added.

"But I don't need to be carried. I'm not a baby. Carlisle spoils me enough as it is!"

Edward kissed my forehead. "Yes, you are a baby, Bella; you're mine and Esme's baby just as much as you are Carlisle's."

Aww shucks, here we go. I rolled my eyes.

Esme squeezed my hand. "That's right, and you're the cutest one in Manhattan," she proclaimed.

"Yes. Ga-ga, goo-goo, cutie baby," Edward cooed, tickling my chin.

"Stop," I giggled, flushing with embarrassment. I tried to swat his hand away.

By the time we had made it up to the fourth floor, we were all laughing hard.

Carlisle opened the door for us. "Welcome home, baby Bell-Bell! I'm pleased to see that you are well," he greeted, also snickering. He planted a big kiss on my cheek.

"Oh, shut up Carlisle!" I retorted, cracking up and shoving his head.

"Did you have breakfast?"

"Yes."

"Good. I have her, Edward."

He took me gently out of Edward's arms. "You look very sleepy, my dear," he commented.

I nodded. "Yeah. I didn't get as much sleep as I would have liked," I muttered.

"Well then, I'll take you to your room and you can have a little nap."

After saying hello to Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie, Carlisle carried me my room. Esme followed us.

When I turned to look at the bed, I gasped. A fuzzy woolen teddy bear with a golden, heart-shaped locket around its neck with resided on it. It was kind of large, but still small enough for me to sleep with. A basket of assorted fruits and huge multicolored lollipops was in front of it. I chortled when I saw a lavender-colored toothbrush that was in its package tied to where you held the basket. There was also a Get Well card. A _one hundred dollar bill_ was enclosed, and I had to laugh when I saw that everyone had signed the card and left a brief note.

"Aww guys, you shouldn't have!" I joked. Carlisle, Esme, and the others chortled. "Thank you. I appreciate everything, but I'm sure that I won't need one hundred dollars anytime soon."

"Well, keep it anyway, Bella. You never know when you will," Esme pointed out.

Carlisle set the basket on the floor. Esme took off my shoes, laid me softly on the bed, and tucked me in. "There we go. Are you comfortable?" she asked.

I nodded again. "Yeah."

"How was your stay at the hospital?" Carlisle inquired.

"Not too bad," I replied with a shrug. "Oh, that reminds me. These paramedics had brought a man there from the World Trade Center. Would you believe it if I told you that he was _alive_, even after a tower collapsed on him?"

He was shocked. "I could, yes, even though I am greatly astounded that he is."

I buried myself deeper under the covers. "Me too, and I was thinking...do you think that my parents and stepfather may have survived as well?"

Esme looked thoughtful.

Carlisle also pondered my question and sighed deeply. "I won't lie to you, sweetheart. I highly doubt that they had...but perhaps they did. If the man had survived, then there is a chance that they may have also."

"Do you think that we could look for them? If they had been found, and they are alive, maybe they could be in a hospital somewhere?"

He pecked my forehead. "Yes, we could, if that is what you wish. I can call every hospital in Manhattan and see if I can locate them."

"And we can all help," Esme added.

They embraced me. "It isn't likely that...things will turn out all right. But don't give up hope, Bella. Don't give up on hope," Carlisle murmured.

I smiled. "Thanks Carlisle, Esme."

A moment later, they let me go. Carlisle stood and went to put the basket in the kitchen. Esme was leaving as well when I remembered something else.

"Esme?" I called to her.

"Yes, baby?" she questioned.

"Why did Rosalie get so upset with Carlisle last night? When he told me that Emmett owed me an apology? She looked as if she wanted to tear Carlisle's head off."

A grin tugged at the corners of her mouth. "You really _are_ observant, Bella. Well, to put it simply, vampires get very defensive and territorial when it comes to sticking up for their mates. Of course, she was frustrated with Emmett for making you fall down the stairs, and so was everybody else. Carlisle was especially furious. You should have seen it then. Rosalie was about to tear his head off when he grabbed Emmett by his collar and screamed at him and cursed him out."

My jaw dropped. Carlisle yelling and _swearing!? _The idea of it was both astonishing and hilarious!

I would give him back his one hundred dollar bill just to hear him do both!

**(A/N: Wow! That was something! I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a while. Our computer monitor was causing me and my family a lot of grief and irritation, but we have a new one, so hallelujah! :) _PLEASE REVIEW AND/OR LEAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS!_ Oh, and I set up a poll on the top of my page for this story. Please check it out. Thank you! And thank you for reading my story!)**


	11. Chapter 10: New School Warnings

**Bella's POV**

Schools reopened that Wednesday. Edward and Esme had gotten my transfer documents from Clearview on Tuesday, but everything wasn't situated until Friday. Luckily, I was cleared to begin school at Oakland High on the following Monday.

On Saturday evening, Alice had went shopping to buy me some new clothes for school. However, half of the stuff that she had purchased enraged Esme; they were too sexy for me to wear. If I was amazed about Carlisle cursing, I was unprepared for the way she had screamed at Alice. Carlisle swearing was one thing, but I had never suspected that Esme would talk to anyone that way. It didn't matter much that she had put her foot down, though, because I wouldn't have worn them anyway.

"Alice, what the hell is _this_?" she demanded with a scowl, holding up a pile of skin-tight skirts, jeans, and way-too-clingy t-shirts.

Frowning, Alice replied, "Bella's school outfits."

Esme gaped at her in furious disbelief. "You have _got_ to be kidding me! I'm not going to have my daughter wearing this _shit_-"

Aww, how touching.

"-at school _or_ anywhere else! She's only fourteen years old! Have you lost your fucking mind!?" she yelled.

Carlisle entered the room at that exact moment with his hands up. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Watch you language, Esme! Bella doesn't need to hear you talking in that way!" he declared, peering at her sternly. Then he turned and looked over the heap of clothes that she had thrown to the floor with a grimace. "Esme is right, Alice. Bella can't wear these outfits."

"But when I wore clothes like these in my freshman year, you didn't make a fuss, and even though you didn't approve of them, you let me wear them," Alice protested.

"That's because you weren't and aren't really fourteen. Nevertheless, the point of the matter is that Bella _is_ fourteen, and therefore too young to have outfits that would make her look as if she were your age. It is indecent. I'm afraid that you will have to take these back to where you had bought them. The others can remain; they are just fine."

Sighing with disappointment, Alice threw the pile of clothes into a bag and left the house.

Meanwhile, Carlisle and the rest of the family had called every hospital in New City since the day I had returned from Lenox Hill. Unfortunately, neither Mom, Charlie, nor Phil had been admitted yet, so there was nothing that we could except wait.

"Don't feel discouraged, Bella," Rosalie murmured after one of the said phone calls. "They will be found soon."

I could only nod.

(Monday morning)

I was out of bed and in the shower long before dawn. I wanted to arrive at my new school before eight thirty, and since Alice begged me to let her curl my hair and pick out what to wear for my first day, I set the alarm at five o'clock.

Within ten minutes, I had finished washing up. Alice was sitting on the bed waiting for me. The curlers that she had planned to use were already beginning to smoke.

"Good morning, Bella! Are you excited?" she inquired.

"Not particularly," I grumbled. There was nothing I hated more than being a new student. I trembled as I remembered how shy I had been when I started first grade in the middle of the school year, after I had moved to New York City from California.

Alice smiled. "Well, I'm sure that everything will go fine. Come over here. If I'm quick, I can finish doing your hair before six fifteen or six thirty."

I perched on the bed and Alice started to comb and brush my hair. She sectioned it into different parts before curling it.

By six twenty-five, she was finished. "What do you think?" she queried, turning me around so that I faced the mirror on my dresser.

Somehow she had managed to style my hair in corkscrew curls. How did she do it? "It's good. I like it," I responded.

"Thanks. Okay, now for your clothes." She rummaged in my drawer for a minute. "Aha!" she proclaimed, taking out a hot-pink t-shirt with five buttons lining downwards from the collar and navy-blue jeans. She also went into my closet and pulled out a white jacket with fur on the sleeves and collar. "Here, wear these. You're going to be the best-dressed girl in school!"

"I'm going to school to learn, Alice, not overthrow people with your fashion sense," I remarked.

"You tell her, Bella," Esme stated with a laugh, ambling into the room. "Ooh, you look wonderful, sweetie. I'm nearly done cooking your breakfast. Hurry and get dressed, please."

I nodded, and she left. Alice followed her.

Once I had put on my clothes, I went to the kitchen and sat at the table. Carlisle was sitting there with a stack of paperwork.

He glanced at me briefly. "Good morning, Bella. How are you today?"

"I'm alright, thanks. What about you? Did everything go okay at work?"

"Yes, everything went well, and I am fine. Thank you."

Esme laid a bowl of maple and brown sugar oatmeal and a glass of milk before me. "Enjoy your meal, honey."

I grinned. "Thanks."

I ate my breakfast in silence. Carlisle continued on with his work, so I tried to eat as quietly as possible.

When I was halfway through my breakfast, he spoke. "You must be nervous, starting at a new school all over again," he noted.

"Yeah. I hate being the new student," I sighed deeply.

"I am sure that nothing will go wrong. Besides, I know that you must be a smart student. You will be all right. And there may be other children there who will be new as well, after...after what happened two weeks ago," he pointed out sadly.

A lump rose in my throat, and I had to swallow a sob that threatened to escape through my lips. "Mmm," I grunted while trying to prevent myself from bursting into tears.

Carlisle reached over and took my hand. "I apologize for saying that. I understand that it is still a very tender subject for you. Don't cry, my dear. I did not intend upset you."

I sniffed. "I know that you didn't, but I can't help it sometimes. I miss my Mom and Charlie and Phil so much."

He patted my arm gently. "I know, sweetheart. Believe me, I do. If they are alive, I'm sure that they miss you too, and are wondering if you are okay. I am quite certain that they would be happy if they knew that you are being well taken care of. And they would be excited knowing that you're going to a new school."

I did not comment on this.

The rest of the meal went by quietly. When I had drank the last of my milk, Carlisle rose from his seat and made to take my dishes.

"No, Carlisle, I have them this time. You should finish your paperwork," I mumbled, holding my bowl and cup away from him.

"Oh, Bella, please don't start with the stubborn selflessness again," he joked, easing the dishes out of my hand. "Besides, you have to organize your school supplies."

"Already done." I grabbed for the bowl, and thankfully, he let me take it.

"Fine, you may do the dishes, but don't take too long. You don't want to be late for school."

"I won't."

In no time at all, I was done and heading for my room to get my backpack. Edward and Esme had bought me new notebooks and folders last Thursday. I didn't really need them; hardly used my old ones. But Edward thought that it would be advisable to start fresh. In addition to the notebooks and folders was new pencil case for my mechanical pencils, pens with erasers, an advanced calculator, ruler, and protractor for math (just in case I would need it), a mini stapler, a roll of clear tape, and a box of tissues.

Because I was uncertain if I would be reading the same books that I would have been in Clearview, I decided not to pack the ones I had, just to be safe. When I knew for sure what we were reading, I can pack one of the books I had now, if I would need them. If I didn't, then I could buy what was listed, unless Carlisle or I had them already.

I checked to make sure that I hadn't forgotten anything before putting on my jacket. I peered at the clock. It was 7:16. I slung my book bag onto my back and left the room.

"Someone is ready to go," Esme observed as I plopped down onto the couch. "Do you have everything that you need, including your keys and your lunch money?"

"Yes," I replied.

"Good. The school isn't far, only eight blocks. It will take about ten or fifteen minutes to get there. You may walk there, but if you choose to take the bus, just stand on the corner across the street. Make sure that you catch the 11, and not the 12 or the 14. They make a right turn three blocks from Oakland," she added.

I bobbed my head to let her know that I understood. "It wouldn't hurt to walk. Which direction do I go in?"

"Just make a left when after you leave the building and keep going in that direction. The school won't be hard to find; it takes up the whole block. When you get there, make sure that you go to the main office. It's on the first floor, room 114A. You have to get your class roster."

"I will."

Alice quivered in her seat. "Hey, Bella, before you leave, I want to take a picture of you to show everybody."

I made a face.

She jutted out her lip. "Please? Just one or two," she insisted.

I sighed. "Okay, but only one or two," I murmured.

Perhaps I should have refused because she took ten pictures. If I hadn't started to complain, she would have probably taken a thousand.

"That's enough, Alice. It's seven thirty-five. Bella has to get going," Esme said. She hugged me tightly and kissed me on the cheek. "Have a good day at school, baby. Make me proud. I love you."

"I will, and I love you too. Tell Edward that I love him."

"Don't worry, I will."

Next, Alice embraced me. "Knock 'em dead, Bella!"

I snickered. "I don't think that I'll want to do that!"

Then I went to the kitchen again. Carlisle stood as I approached him and wrapped his arms around me.

"Good luck on your first day. Be careful and don't forget to enjoy yourself a little. I love you," he whispered, kissing my forehead.

"I love you too, Carlisle. Good-bye," I breathed.

He rubbed my back. "Good-bye, my dear."

After saying good-bye to Alice and Esme, I left the apartment building and walked down the block.

**Carlisle's POV**

When Bella had left, I couldn't help but feel worried about her. From what she had told me once, she was normally very shy about meeting new people. Would she be all right? How would she get along in school, especially when people found out that she was a part of my family?

None of my children had never mixed or mingled with anyone at Oakland, or any other school, preferring to keep to themselves for reasons only known to us. This had obviously broken an unspoken law among their classmates. Even though it didn't hurt them after a while-and at first it did, when they had to go to school at the beginning of their vampire years-my children revealed to me that they faced a substantial amount of ridicule. Sometimes, when things were going really bad, it took everything in their power-well, mainly Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie's because they had quicker fuses than the others-to keep them from getting into an argument, fight, or both.

Knowing this, I could barely repress a shiver, and I felt more uneasy. I hoped that no one would treat Bella too unfairly. Of course, none of the freshmen would know about my family, but what about the sophomores, juniors, and seniors? If they remembered my children, the freshmen would learn about them simply by listening to all of the gossip (and not to mention lies.) I knew that Bella could be one tough cookie, but her emotions had been quite fragile lately, and understandably so. I didn't want her to get hurt. But perhaps she will be fine.

You could never know until you found out.

**Bella's POV **

By 8:00, I had arrived at the school. I took a deep breath before opening the door. _Here goes nothing_, I thought.

I stepped inside the building and gazed at my surroundings. There was not much to see except for a corridor full of metal-gray lockers lined up on either side, save for the entrances to classrooms. A good number of students were in hall, putting their belongings in their lockers or talking and laughing.

Not wanting to draw too much or unwanted attention, I bowed my head and made my way down the corridor, searching for room 114A. I located it without a problem. It was just around the corner at the right end of the hallway.

I entered the office and strolled up to the front desk. The lady behind it, who appeared to be around Carlisle's age, looked up when I had cleared my throat.

"Hello. May I help you with something?" she greeted enthusiastically with a bright smile.

"Um, yeah. I'm a new student here. My name is Isabella Cullen. I came to pick up my schedule," I stated timidly.

Recognition lit up in the woman's eyes. "Oh yes, that's right. Hold on, I have it right here."

After shuffling through a stack of papers, she pulled one out and gave it to me along with a yellow slip. "Were you in Advanced placement at Clearview?" She had apparently read my schedule.

"Yes."

"Well, that explains your roster. There you go, and your locker number and code is on the yellow paper. Enjoy the rest of your day. Oh, and by the way, I am Miss Valentina."

I inclined my head. "Nice to meet you, and thanks."

I scanned the roster as I headed for my locker. Yep, I had the same classes, but in a different order. I had Chemistry first, then Algebra II and World History II. Followed by those classes was lunch, and after that, I had Spanish II and English/Language Arts. However, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I would have Gym instead of Spanish.

Once I had checked to make sure that I could open my locker, I put two notebooks in it that were set aside for English and Spanish. I wouldn't need them right away. I didn't put my jacket in my locker, in case they turned on the air conditioners.

My Chemistry class was on the second floor, Room 208. The teacher wasn't there yet, but a few students were. They frowned in curiosity, eyeing me with interest.

"Nice outfit," one of them commented. She was a girl with dark-brown hair, pale-blue eyes, and a thin nose.

I smiled weakly. "Thanks," I muttered, looking around for a place to sit. I chose a double-desk in the back of the room and pulled out a book to read until class began.

Over the next several minutes, more people arrived. I didn't pay attention to them, but I had a good feeling that they were wondering who I was.

Finally the teacher, Mr. Hendrix, lumbered into the classroom. "Hello, everybody," he announced. "We have a couple of new students joining us today."

_Oh, no,_ I thought.

He grabbed two textbooks and two workbooks from a shelf, then he took some papers out of his desk. He picked up a roll sheet and squinted at it. "Can Angela Weber and Isabella Cullen step up here please?"

My face grew hot as I did so. The other girl, Angela-who was slightly taller than me and had light-brown hair and gentle, light-brown eyes-seemed just as frightened as I was.

Mr. Hendrix beamed at us. "Good morning. I'm Mr. Hendrix, your Chemistry teacher. Pleased to make your acquaintance. Which one of you are Isabella Cullen?"

I raised my hand slightly. "I prefer to be called Bella," I remarked. I may have been feeling nervous, but I was determined to make myself clear in regards to using my name.

"Oh, okay. Everyone, this is Angela Weber and Bella Cullen," Mr. Hendrix declared, pointing to each of us in turn. "Please make them feel welcome and help them out with anything they need." He turned to us. "Now, here are the books that we will be using for the remainder of the year, and a syllabus for each of you. Don't lose your textbooks, please. Otherwise, you'll have to pay $150 for a new one."

"Yes, sir," I mumbled before heading back to my desk as fast as I could. I didn't want to be under any more scrutiny than necessary, and I hated Mr. Hendrix for introducing me to the whole class. Besides, it was evident that I stood out; no one else in the room was wearing ridiculously expensive clothes. Damn you, Alice! Why couldn't you have bought me some plainer-looking outfits!?

The rest of the morning dragged by sluggishly. My other classes, Algebra and History, went by without any major calamities. My algebra teacher, Mr. Robertson, and my history teacher Mrs. Davies were kind. I especially liked Mrs. Davies. She had a good sense of humor. I was grateful that neither of them chose to introduce me to my classmates.

I dreaded going to lunch. I didn't want to sit by myself, but since I was new, I guess that that would be the only option available for me.

The cafeteria was already packed with students by the time I had gotten there, and most of the tables were filled.

I wasn't very hungry (then again, I haven't been lately), but since Alice would find out if I didn't eat and tell Edward, Esme, or Carlisle, I knew that I had to buy something. So I paid for a slice of pizza, a bowl of salad, and a bottle of orange juice and proceeded to find a table.

Pretty soon, I found an empty one on the right side of the cafeteria. I rapidly claimed it before anybody else could and reluctantly tucked into my meal.

"Excuse me?" a timid voice said. I glanced up to see Angela Weber, the other new girl, standing by the table. "Is anyone else sitting here with you?"

"No...make yourself comfortable," I replied with a tiny grin.

"Thank you. I'm Angela Weber, by the way." She tentatively held out her hand.

I grasped it softly. "I remember. I-I'm Bella Cullen. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"You too."

Angela sat down. Not knowing what else to say, I continued to eat.

She cleared her throat minutes later. "Oakland doesn't seem like a horrible school so far," she commented.

I shook my head. "No. It's not too bad," I agreed.

Another tense silence pervaded.

"I really like your clothes. Where did you get them?" she queried.

"Thanks. My older sister bought them for me," I murmured.

Angela nodded pensively. "Oh. Does she attend school here too?"

"She did before she graduated in June."

"I wish that I had a sister. Still, I wouldn't trade one for my twin brothers."

I laughed a little. "I have three brothers and two sisters. Well, they're really my four adoptive cousins and adoptive grandfather, if you look at it from Social Services' viewpoint. My adoptive father is my cousin on my mother's side. But I call my four adoptive cousins my brothers and sisters anyway, even my adoptive grandfather. They are all so young."

Her eyes widened in shock. "Wow. That is a large family to be adopted into. You said that they are young. How old are they?"

"Two of my brothers, Emmett and Jasper, are eighteen. So are my sisters Alice, Rosalie, and my adoptive parents Edward and Esme. The one who would be called my grandfather-his name is Carlisle-is only twenty-nine. That's why I say he's my brother. He's not old enough to be my grandfather. But he would be called my grandfather because he adopted Edward, Esme, and my other brothers and sisters. And get this...Alice and Jasper are married to each other, and so are Emmett and Rosalie."

Angela was really stunned by this time. "Whoa! That _is_ unbelievable! But why did your cousins adopt you?"

Unprepared for this question, I froze. I felt as if I had been kicked squarely in the gut. Angela noticed that something was wrong and thankfully didn't ask me anything else.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled.

I pursed my lips. "It's okay," I whispered.

Neither of us spoke after that, finishing our lunches very quietly. When the bell rang, I picked up my book bag and rushed to my locker. I hastily threw my Spanish and English notebooks into my backpack and put my Algebra, Chemistry, and history textbooks and notebooks into my locker instead. Then I went Spanish class, arriving there just as the next bell rang.

Señorita Ordóñez was one of the most boring teachers I ever had. I supposed that she wouldn't be, if she didn't speak in a monotone voice. On the plus side, I would only have her for three days out of the week. However, I was certain that I was going to ace the class in spite of her, which goes without saying.

Mr. Lawrence, my English instructor, was okay-neither good nor bad. There wasn't much to say about him. He was just a plain individual. It turned out that we were reading the same book-_Night_, by Elie Wiesel-just like the ninth graders were in Clearview. We would also be reading _Romeo and Juliet_, _Othello_, and _To Kill a Mockingbird_. I had bought them already, which saved me the trouble of going shopping.

Finally, the school day was over. It was a good day, on the whole. At least I wasn't bothered by anyone. I had a small pile of homework from my Algebra, History, and Spanish classes. For English, I had to read chapters two to four of _Night_, plus fill out a worksheet. That would be a doozie-as I had mentioned before, I had read the entire novel already. I would wait to do my Spanish homework, since I didn't have tomorrow, but I liked to finish all of my homework on the same day that I had received it. If I had time to do so, that is.

After leaving Oakland, I headed home. Many of the other students took a bus or drove, but those who lived nearby like I did were walking, just as I was.

**Carlisle's POV**

_Fifteen minutes later  
_

I was watching television in the living room when I heard Bella climbing up the last flight of stairs. As she entered the apartment, I turned to her. Her expression was calm; she must have had a better day than I had feared. I sighed in relief.

"Hello, my dear," I smiled, getting out of my armchair. I embraced her. "Did everything go well on your first day of school?"

Bella wrapped her arms around me and pecked my cheek. "Yes, it went fine," she replied.

I moved away. "Did you make any new friends?"

"No, but I met this girl named Angela. She seems nice. It looks like your done with your paperwork."

I chuckled. "Yes, but I'll have some more by tomorrow morning."

"Mmm." She looked around. "It's quiet in here. Where are Alice and Esme?"

"They had left, but Esme will be here soon to check on you and make sure that you're all right."

Bella nodded. "Oh. Well, I'm going to do my homework," she stated.

I kissed her forehead. "Certainly. And speaking of which, I left a couple of gifts for you in your room," I proclaimed.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head with a smirk. "_More _presents? You didn't need to get me any, you know. Half of the presents that you give me are really unnecessary; I can't do anything with them, and I don't know what I'm going to do with them either. Why do you buy me so much stuff?"

"Because you are a genuinely kind, sweet, selfless person who deserves the best in life, that's why," I murmured, tapping her nose. "And even if you can't use half of your presents for anything, they are simply there for you to enjoy and take delight in."

Flushing pink, Bella whispered, "Oh alright, if you say so, but..."

"Ah-ah. No buts." I wagged my finger.

"Whatever you say."

I gestured in the direction of her bedroom. "You may go and see your presents."

**Bella's POV**

The first thing that I noticed when I stepped into my room was that Carlisle's dresser was missing. In its place was a smooth, wooden desk. It had a table lamp on it, as well as multicolored paper clips, tacks and, rubber bands in a rectangular glass box. They were separated into their individual slots.

Next to that box was another one with staples, with a medium-sized roll of clear tape under it, and a table calculator. There was also a cut-glass cup holder for my drinks, and my candy bowl. It still had Jolly Rangers and Creme Savers in it, but now there were also red and green star peppermints. Spare mechanical pencils and pens with erasers stood in a brown glass cup. Two tubes of glue-one regular and one labeled Superglue-was beside it. There was also a glue stick.

Well, these were definitely useful presents. Dr. _Way_-too-Hot-To-Trot came prepared! I was surprised that there was enough space for my books, but he arranged everything so that they would.

Then, out of the corner of eye, something else drew my attention. It was a cream-colored armchair, very much like Carlisle's. However, when I sat down on it to see how comfortable it was, the part where I rested my back on it moved backwards. For a minute, I was startled, but then I laughed. This wasn't just an armchair-it was a rocking chair. I relaxed onto the cushions. There must have been wool stuffed inside of them. That was how soft they were.

"Thank you, Carlisle! I like them!" I yelled.

"I'm happy to hear that. You're welcome, sweetie!" he shouted back.

"Any news yet? Have they been found?" I inquired.

"...No. I'm afraid not," he replied dejectedly.

I slumped into my chair. "Oh."

"I'm sure that they will be found soon."

"Yeah. I hope so."

After a minute, I went over to the desk and began to do my homework. I started with Spanish first because it was too easy, then completed my English worksheet once that was finished. Esme came when I had begun to do my one-page History paper, but saw that I was occupied and said that we would talk later. The essay took some time to do, but I was certain that Mrs. Davies would approve of it. At last, I did my Algebra homework, which wasn't too difficult, thank goodness.

By the time I was done with everything, it was six forty-three. The scent of roast beef drifted from the kitchen. Esme had to be cooking my dinner. I put my notebooks and stuff in my backpack before leaving the room.

Carlisle was having a talk with Edward in the living room, but they beamed at me as I approached them.

"Hi sweet pea," Edward greeted, hugging me softly.

"Hi Edward," I returned with a smile.

"Was your first day of school exciting?"

"No, but it was still good."

"I'm pleased to hear that. Oh, and I saw your pictures. They are beautiful. Did you finish all of your homework yet?"

I nodded. "Yes, it's all done," I replied.

Edward grinned. "Good girl," he praised, kissing me on the cheek.

Esme came in the room at that moment and wrapped her arms around me. "Your dinner is ready, baby girl. Why don't you come and sit with me in the kitchen? You can tell me all about what happened at school today while you are eating," she murmured.

As I forced down the meal that Esme had prepared (because I still wasn't hungry), I did just that. I gave her details about my classes, my teachers, and what I had for lunch. I also told her about Angela Weber.

"Did you meet any boys too?" Esme teased.

"No," I responded earnestly.

Carlisle and Edward sat with us as well, listening to everything that I was saying. Truthfully, I wished that they didn't do that because it made me feel awkward. It was strange knowing that I was the only person in the family who ate human food.

**Carlisle's POV**

I was delighted that nothing had happened to Bella at school, so far. Judging from her story, it seemed as if her day was an ordinary, though mildly interesting one. No one had teased her or bullied her. Of course, if someone did, Alice would have informed us about it immediately.

However, I knew that it would only be a matter of time before Bella became well-known to her classmates. From what I had seen for myself, most of the children in her school dressed normally. With her attire, I knew without a doubt that Bella was conspicuous. I would be surprised if none of the ninth graders mentioned her to the other students. But if they didn't now, they would more sooner or later.

When Bella had finished eating her meal, she helped Esme with the dishes and went to her bedroom. I decided to warn her about her classmates right then. My conscience couldn't rest until I did.

I strolled to her room and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Bella called from the other side.

"It's me, sweetheart. May I come in? I need a brief word with you," I half-shouted.

"Yes."

I opened the door and stepped inside. Bella was relaxing in her new rocking chair.

Grinning, I queried, "Do you like it?"

Bella smiled back. "Oh, yes. It's very comfortable. So what did you want to talk about?"

I perched on the bed and crossed my leg over the other. "I need to warn you about your classmates," I remarked, heading straight to be point.

Frowning, she asked, "Why? Is there a problem?"

I sighed. "Well, if there isn't one now, there may be in the future. I must confess that when my children attended Oakland, they did not make a very good impression with their peers. No, they never fought with them, caused trouble for them or any of the sort," I stated when she opened her mouth to speak. "Unfortunately, many of the students created trouble for them. You see, they didn't like that my children kept to themselves..."

"But they had to-" Bella interrupted.

"Yes, I know that-we both do. Nevertheless, many of their peers didn't understand this. I think that many of them liked or wanted to make friends with my children in the beginning. And of course, anybody would understand why. They were rich. They had most expensive clothes in the school, and never wore the same thing twice. When my children were old enough to drive by state law-as if they weren't already old enough in the first place-they had the best cars.

"However, when Edward, Esme, and the others turned down their classmates, everyone began to think that they were spoiled, stuck-up and self-centered, and would not have anything to do with them thenceforth. They didn't like the fact that they chose to keep to themselves. Everybody wanted them to be a part of the big social circle, but for reasons known to us, my children could not. As a result, they had endured a lot of ridicule."

Bella thought this information over, then nodded in understanding. "Okay. So, you're saying that I should be mindful of my classmates." This was a statement, not a question.

I inclined my head. "Yes, my dear, to prepare you for what may happen in the future. None of us wants you to get hurt by anyone." I stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder. "And if someone does cause trouble for you, don't be afraid to tell us. I know that many people believe that situations would get worse if they informed someone about being bullied, but it is not true. It will get worse if you don't. So if someone is causing you a problem, let us know if you don't feel comfortable speaking to your teachers or your principal, and we'll sort everything out. Do you understand me?"

Bella nodded. "Yes, Carlisle."

I leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I love you, my dear, and I don't want you to go through the same thing that the others did."

"I know that you don't, and I love you too," she whispered, embracing me and kissing me on the cheek in return.

I patted her back, then straightened up. "Well, I have to prepare myself for work. It's almost time for me to leave," I declared.

"Okay. I guess I'll see you tomorrow morning, then."

"Certainly, sweetheart."

After hugging her one last time, I exited the bedroom.

**(A/N: _PLEASE REVIEW!_ Sorry for the long update. I was busy with my other stories. Don't forget to tell me what you think. The next chapter's tentative title is Jealousy, but I may change it. _IMPORTANT_: I am making an alternate story to this one. However, I'm not sure if the alternate story should be about what would happen if Bella's parents and Phil were found dead, or if they were found alive. I will set up a new poll for each choices so that you can give me your opinions. If you don't want to vote on the poll, just leave your choice in the review, and the story will be posted after a certain chapter. A close friend of mine voted for Alive already, but I myself am not sure, which was why I asked that person (and why I am asking you.) Thank you very much!)**


	12. Chapter 11: Unexplainable Emotions

(A/N: One part this chapter is loosely based on certain parts of the novels _Bastard out of Carolina_ and _A Place to Call Home. _They are both one of my favorites books.)

**Carlisle's POV**

The next couple of days passed by without any serious mishaps. My children attended their night classes, as usual. Esme had decided to take college courses online during the day. She would be finished with her assignments long before Bella would arrive home from school, since she could do everything in vampire speed without anyone noticing. Of course, Esme would submit them in the evenings to avoid suspicion.

Bella was slowly adapting to Oakland High. None of her classmates or any of the other students had bothered her as of yet, but she promised that she would let us know if someone had right away. As soon as she returned to the apartment, she immediately started on her homework. All of it would be completed between the hours of five and seven o'clock, depending on her workload.

"There is one thing I will say for Bella; she is not like most of the teenagers her age. She knows what she has to do, and she does it," Edward commented one evening when he came for his daily visit.

"Yes. She is someone to be proud of," I remarked. "But sometimes I fear that she is pushing herself too hard. "

Edward pursed his lips. "You are not the only one. Everyone else is worried about that too. It's no wonder you and the girls spoil her so much. However, I believe that it's just as well; she deserves the chance to be a teenager. She hasn't had much of one before we took her in."

I grimaced. "Well, she shall have all of the chances that she can here. But even with them, she still won't act like one very much. You should hear how much Alice complains that Bella isn't as into fashion as she would like. Besides that, she thinks that she is too quiet, and keeps to herself more often than not. That is true, but Bella was an only child when she lived with her mother and stepfather. In addition to that, she only has one friend. I'm sure that she is used to being alone, and it is obvious that she prefers to be most of the time. Of course, there is not much wonder of that. She told me once that she never felt as if she could relate to people, especially those who are in her age group, except for her mother-up to a certain level.

"That does not surprise me, though; if I felt it my duty to pay all of the household's bills, do the laundry, cook every meal, take care of the bookkeeping and clean the house by the time that I was ten years old, I don't think that I would connect to people my age either. Technically, Bella isn't an adult age-wise, but she is already mature and all grown up, if you understand what I mean. She still prefers to do chores rather than have fun, which is why we spoil her the way I do, but not much. Esme and I let her do them at times, but when we refuse to at others, she argues with us until we are able to convince her to relax.

"As for her being too quiet, some people just are in general. Nevertheless, I know what Alice means. I believe that Bella is trying everything in her power to hide from what happened to her parents and her stepfather. I attempt to speak to her about it, but when I bring up the subject, she almost starts to cry, so I drop it. I hate to see her cry, and I hate to see Bella so depressed. What equally pains me is that she gives the impression that she doesn't want to even think about her family. You know that this isn't easy for someone to do, especially when they loved their own as much as Bella loves hers, which is very likely to the point that it hurts. It's no wonder that she works so hard and keeps to herself and is so quiet. The pain that she wants to escape from must overwhelm her."

Edward nodded in agreement, then mumbled, "Esme says that Bella has been having nightmares ever since you had resumed your night shifts."

My jaw dropped in fury and horror. Esme had not mentioned this to me at all. "Why didn't she tell me this before?" I demanded. _She is my soul mate! I have every right to know if she is going through something that is troubling her! Why would she keep this from me?_ I added to him in my thoughts.

"She doesn't want you to be more worried about her than you are now..." he tried to explain.

"_I don't care_ if it worries me. She should have told me about this immediately," I fumed.

This resulted in me giving Esme a serious lecture about not hiding things from me, even if she thought that whatever she told me would make me feel upset. "You know that I detest that. I do not like it when someone is being untruthful towards me; for not telling me something important _is_ lying. Do _not_ do it again. Do you hear me, Esme Anne Cullen?" I inquired firmly.

Esme hung her head in shame. "Yes, Dad. I am so sorry. I won't do it again," she replied in a low voice.

Meanwhile, my job was keeping me preoccupied. This was normal, however. When working at a hospital in a large city, especially in the ER, you were nearly always on your toes. If I was lucky enough to catch a break, I would see if Bella's parents and stepfather had been found. Unfortunately, they were not, and none of my children had received any word about their being discovered either.

Deciding that more help was beneficial, I asked a few of my co-workers if they could accompany me in searching for them on Tuesday. Dr. Lawrence offered to do so, as well as my other friend Dr. Marlene Jamison. She did volunteer work at other hospitals in New York City in addition to Lenox Hill. I saw her two to three times a week there.

"If you like, I could meet you at your apartment during the day and fill you in on any updates I have," she suggested.

"Well..." I hesitated, making a face. It would go without saying that this was not a practical idea, considering Jasper. However, he didn't have to stay when Marlene visited. He would leave the first chance he had anyway. "Well, I suppose that you can, if it is more convenient for you to do so."

She smiled brilliantly, too brilliantly for my liking. "That's great. Perhaps I'll see you on Thursday at four?"

"That is fine. And perhaps I can introduce you to my children."

"Sure! I guess I will see you then."

"Certainly."

**Bella's POV**

By Wednesday, I was used to attending Oakland. I was familiar with my teachers and where my classes were, not that I could have gotten lost anyway. They were all easy to find. I did not make any friends yet, but this was to be expected. The only people I seemed to have anything in common with was my family, and they weren't even human, not that there was anything wrong with that. I supposed that mythical creatures were my calling.

I did meet a few of my classmates, though. The dark-brown haired girl who complimented on my outfit on my first day introduced herself as Jessica Stanley during English on Tuesday. I wasn't sure if I liked her. It seemed as if she never stopped talking, and she was nothing but a busybody.

Then there was her friend Lauren Mallory. She was admittedly beautiful, with long cornsilk-blonde hair, straight teeth and green eyes. But she liked to share gossip with Jessica, so I had no use for her either.

Next was Mike Newton and Eric Yorkie, two more friends of Jessica's. Mike was also a blonde, and was baby-faced and had baby-blue eyes. Eric had black hair, brown eyes, and a blotchy face. Both of them were very irritating, and I kept away from them as often as possible. I had only been to Oakland for two days, and I was sure that they already had a crush on me. Whenever we were going to our classes, one of them would offer to carry my books for me. I politely refused to let them. Truthfully, however, I wanted to yell that I had arms and didn't need their help.

At home, everything was routine. I would say hello to Carlisle and Alice, Esme, or Rosalie if they were present. Then I would do my homework, and after that, reluctantly eat the dinner that one of them had prepared for me. I was certain that they knew that I really didn't want to eat it, but appreciated that I wanted to spare their feelings.

Once I had finished my meal, I would return to my bedroom. I would pore over novels, but reading made my attention wander. Before I knew it, I would start to think about Mom, Charlie, and Phil. My heart would ache then. I tried to prevent myself from crying too much because I knew that it worried everyone, but that would cause my head to hurt on top of everything else. When I did my homework, I was so busy that I didn't have time to think of anything, so I threw myself into my studies. Anything to avoid to the pain. I tried to do more chores as well, but no one would allow me to most of the time. And then they had the nerve to wonder why I was just plain miserable.

To make matters worse, the nightmares had come back a week ago. Esme woke me up before I could get too deep into them, and she would hold me for long time.

"It's okay, baby girl. I'm here. I'm here. Everything is going to be all right," she would coo as I wept into her shoulder, stroking my hair and rocking me gently.

When she cradled me like that, it made me sob harder. Mom used to say the exact same thing after I had a bad dream when I was little. I wasn't quite sure how I felt about it. Glad because Esme reminded me of her, or hurt and heartbroken because she wasn't Mom at all. Either way, a fresh wave of pain would rush into my heart.

However, unlike when Carlisle would console, I had nightmares again after I went back to sleep. As a result, I was often tired during the day. Even though I would never admit it to anybody, much less myself, I wished that Carlisle didn't have to work at night so that he could sing to me in Italian. It always seemed to keep the nightmares away.

"Bella, why don't you hang out with us sometimes?" Rosalie had queried the previous Friday. "Perhaps it will take your mind off things for a bit."

I shrugged, but didn't reply. Why couldn't she, Alice, or Esme realize that I wanted to be alone? I knew that they were concerned for me, but I was able to bear things better in solitude. And anyway, I didn't like to do half of the things that they enjoyed doing. I didn't understand why they craved my presence. I knew without a doubt that I was no fun to be around, even if they didn't think so. I would only depress them with my glumness, which I felt was another good reason to keep to myself.

Now, it was Wednesday. By this time, I was more than amazed that everyone hadn't grown tired of me. They still wanted me to participate in the family activities, which I would not do, not matter how much they tried to dazzle me. Carlisle would tell everyone to let me be, although it was clear that he wanted me to join them as well. I was grateful that he let me do as I wished.

Nothing out of the ordinary happened so far today. I went to and from school as usual, and did my homework. When my assignments were all completed, I had dinner.

I was halfway through the meal when Carlisle, who was sitting diagonally across from me at the table while surfing the Internet, cleared his throat. "Bella?" he said.

I looked up. "Yes, Carlisle?" I questioned.

"May I ask you to do something for me, if you don't mind?"

"Of course, you may. What is it?"

"Do you think that you could do your homework in the living room until after four o'clock tomorrow? A friend of mine from the hospital is coming over. She is helping us find your parents and stepfather by going other hospitals in the city, and she will be visiting to give me an update. I would like to introduce you and my family to her."

A scowl threatened to contort my face, but I caught myself just in time. Why was I so upset? He had every right to bring someone here. It was his apartment after all. I shook myself mentally and grinned as convincingly as possible; I still felt angry for some unknown reason. "Sure. That won't be a problem as long as there isn't too much noise," I stated.

Carlisle smiled a little. "Don't worry. I will tell everyone to remain quiet enough so that you can concentrate on your studies," he assured me.

I nodded. "Thanks," I mumbled, returning my attention to the food that I was eating.

There was a brief silence. "Are you okay, my dear?" he inquired.

"Yes, I'm fine," I responded, even though I was only being partially honest.

"No," he declared, taking my hand in his. "Something is bothering you. I could see it in your eyes. You know that you can tell me anything. Look at me, please. Thank you. Now...what is the matter?"

I did not answer. How could I, when _I_ didn't know myself?

"Sweetheart?" Carlisle persisted.

Frantic, I tried to find a reply that wouldn't make him suspicious. "It's nothing, really. You know how shy I get when I meet someone I had never met before. I guess that I'm just nervous."

He narrowed his eyes, peering at me intently. He must have believed me, though, because he chuckled. "Ah. I understand. But don't worry. My friend is a very kind person. You would like her."

I just shrugged. "Mmm."

After I had finished eating, Carlisle washed my dishes. I decided to return to my room, but Alice blocked my path.

"Hey, Bella, come play Trouble with Esme and I. Please?" she implored, bouncing up and down.

"No, thank you. I'm exhausted. I want to lay down," I grumbled.

Alice jutted out her lip. "_Please_, Bella? Just one game, and then you can do whatever you want. I promise."

I snorted humorlessly. "The last time you said something like that, you took ten pictures instead of two..."

She clasped her hands. "I know, but this time I really mean it. Please?"

I relented. One game couldn't hurt. It might even be fun, and better yet, a distraction. "Okay. I suppose that a game won't be too bad."

"Excellent! Hey, Carlisle, would you like to play too?"

He strolled over to us. "Er...yes," he replied, glancing at his watch. "But only one game. I have to prepare for work soon, and you can never tell how long even one game will take."

We sat down on the living room's floor and Alice set up the game. She chose the red pawns, Esme picked green, Carlisle settled for the yellow ones, and I picked blue. Then we began to play.

To my great astonishment, I did have a lot of fun. There were playful arguments, and every one of us pretended as if we were attempting to get away with cheating, only to be caught a second later. The game lasted for three-quarters of an hour. I won first place (which took me aback. I rarely won at anything), while Esme came in second, Alice in third, and Carlisle in fourth.

"Loser gets pelted with pillows!" Alice announced.

"No! Don't!" Carlisle half-yelled with a smile as we descended upon him. He screamed in mock agony as we hit him on the head and back. "Stop! Stop! Please!"

I did, mostly because I was already tired and out of breath. Alice and Esme kept going until he reminded them that it was nearly time for him to leave. After he stood up, he went to change his clothes, and I headed to my room.

I was lying down when there was a knock on the door a few minutes later. "Yes?" I called.

"It's Carlisle," the said person stated. "May I talk to you for a bit? There was something that I had wanted to speak to you about earlier."

"You know the answer to that question."

Laughing, Carlisle walked in. I sat up as he perched on the bed. He eyed me shrewdly, as if he was deciding how to begin the conversation. I shifted under his stare.

In a moment, he exhaled deeply. "Bella, Edward told me that Esme said to him that you have been having nightmares again," he stated finally.

I bowed my head, but Carlisle tilted it back up, his forefinger under my chin. "Why did you not mention this to me?" he queried. "Esme did not either, and I had to bring her up short for refusing to do so."

I sighed, feeling guilty. "I...I don't know. I didn't think about it because you are at work when I have them, and I can't tell you when I'm at school or getting ready to go there. I can't tell you when I'm doing my homework either. And in the mornings, you are busy with your paperwork. It never occurred to me to tell you. You always seem to be preoccupied. I'm sorry," I concluded lamely.

Carlisle embraced me tightly. "Oh, sweetheart. I told you before that you may speak to me about anything. I meant what I said. I still do. You may, no matter what I am doing or if I am busy. I will always have time for you, and my children, no matter when it is." He moved away and gazed into my eyes. My face tingled. "All right?"

I nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry," I repeated, sliding my arms around him.

"It is okay, my dear. I am not angry with you. Listen. If you have a nightmare, you may call me if you like. I am always available to listen."

"Okay, Carlisle." I kissed him on the cheek. "You better get going. You'll be late."

He turned to look at my clock. "Oh, I shall. Thank you for reminding me." He kissed my forehead. "I will see you at breakfast tomorrow, and don't forget that I am expecting a visitor tomorrow."

I almost frowned again. What the _hell _was the matter with me? "I didn't. I'll see you in the morning. Love you."

"I love you too. Try to get some sleep."

"I will."

Carlisle pecked me on the cheek, and with one last good-bye, he left.

**Carlisle's POV**

After I stepped out of Bella's bedroom, I went to collect my medical bag and valise. The girls had straightened up the living room. I grinned, thinking of how much fun Bella had. She smiled and laughed so often that I couldn't help but feel elated. It seemed as if she hadn't done either for years. "Alice, Esme, tell the others to be here tomorrow afternoon, please. Let Jasper know that he doesn't have to stay here. Call me if anything," I remarked.

They inclined their heads. "All right. See you, Carlisle," Esme proclaimed.

"Bye, Dad," Alice added.

"Good-bye. Take care of Bella and behave yourselves," I warned.

We hugged each other for a moment, and then I set off for the hospital.

As soon as I had arrived at Lenox Hill, I had to get straight to work. If I were not a vampire, I wouldn't have been able to keep track of everything that had happened for the rest of the evening. I was so busy that it almost seemed as if I were in a tornado, having to go here or there constantly, being instructed to perform one duty or another.

I was in the middle of a procedure when I received a text message from Esme at one forty-five. _Carlisle, call me please-E_

_Certainly, hold on-C  
_

I pocketed my cell phone and finished what I was doing. I asked someone to take over for me, then went to my office. I quickly dialed Esme's number after closing the door behind me.

"Carlisle?" she inquired when she answered the phone.

"Hi sweetie. What's going on? Is it Bella?" I demanded urgently.

"Yes, she...she had another nightmare. Can you please talk to her? She won't calm down, and you are the one who can really make her feel better. Even if I could make her go back to sleep, she'll just have another bad dream."

"I understand. You may put her on."

Several seconds passed before I heard crackling on the other end.

"Hello?" Bella murmured in a tearful, disoriented voice.

"Hi sweet girl," I greeted softly.

"...Carlisle? Is that you?"

"Yes, baby, it's me. Are you okay?"

"...I am now, I guess. Were you busy?"

"I was, but it doesn't matter. Do you want to talk? Or do you want to go back to sleep? I could sing to you if that is choose to do."

Bella paused. "Sing to me...please? I'm tired, and I just want to get back to sleep," she whispered.

I chuckled sympathetically. "No problem, my dear. Everything will be all right. Shut your eyes," I ordered gently.

"They're closed."

"Good. Now listen to my voice, and try to think of something that makes you happy."

"I am. Go ahead."

I smiled before I proceeded to sing a French song. Within a couple of minutes, her breathing grew easier and deeper. I kept singing until I heard Esme's voice.

"Thank you, Dad. I owe you," she mumbled in relief.

"Ha ha. That won't be necessary. It was no trouble at all. Call me back if anything else happens."

"Okay. Bye, Carlisle."

"Good-bye, sweetie."

I hung up the phone and went back to work.

**Bella's POV**

Carlisle's song worked like a charm; I felt drowsy as soon as he began to sing. I was asleep before I knew it, and for the first time in days, I had no dreams. When the alarm clock rang in the morning, I was very refreshed.

Esme grinned as I sat down in the kitchen an hour later. "Don't you look better!" she exclaimed.

Carlisle, who was doing some paperwork, beamed at me. "Are you feeling all right? Did you get enough sleep?" he queried as Esme placed my breakfast in front of me and kissed my temple.

I nodded. "I feel better than I did yesterday," I responded, tucking into my meal. "Thank you for singing to me last night. It really helped."

"You are welcome, my dear. Eat quickly, now. You don't want to be late for school."

When I had finished eating my Cream of Wheat, I retrieved my book bag from my room and said good-bye to Carlisle and Esme. After that, I left for Oakland.

School was not as busy today as it had been for the last three days. Eric Yorkie and Mike Newton seemed to take the hint that I didn't need them to carry anything for me; thankfully, they left me alone. I had Gym for the second time this week, and I was surprised that I didn't end up in the nurse's office or hospital yet. However, I knew better than to hope that I wouldn't too much. I might be carted off to either next week or the week after for all I knew. Mr. Robertson, my Algebra teacher, didn't assign any homework, so I would be finished with my English, Chemistry, and History a bit earlier than usual. Before I knew it, the school day was over, and it was time to go home.

I was a few blocks away from the apartment when I remembered that Carlisle's friend from Lenox Hill was going to visit. I curled my lips in irritation. I wasn't in the mood to be introduced to anybody, but then again, I almost never was. This was no real shocker; I knew that I was unlikely to have a lot in common with the people I met anyway. Life experiences had taught me that.

_I might as well get it over with, though_, I said to myself.

As soon as I entered the apartment, I noticed that my whole family was in the living room. They beamed at me as I closed the door.

"Hey, little sis!" Emmett boomed, rushing over to embrace me.

I chortled. "Hi Emmett. What's up?" I inquired.

"Nothing. We were just waiting for you to get here," he replied.

He moved back then so that Esme could give me a hug. Then Edward walked up to me.

"I saw that you had a nice day at school via Alice's thoughts, sweet pea," he stated, briefly pecking my forehead.

"Yes, it was fine. How are you?"

"Not bad."

Carlisle stepped over to me next and wrapped his arms around me. "Hello, my dear. Do you have a lot of homework today?"

I grinned. "No. I suppose that my teachers had decided to be nice to us."

After saying this, I embraced Alice and Rosalie, then nodded to Jasper. He did likewise, smiling faintly.

Laying a hand on my back, Carlisle said, "I put your armchair next to mine and set up a TV tray so that you can do your homework. I know that the floor is not very comfortable, and I can help you if you need any assistance."

Why did he always have to be so sweet, generous, and considerate?

"Thank you," I murmured.

"It is nothing, my dear," he whispered.

I kissed his cheek, sat down in the aforementioned chair, and went straight to work. Carlisle proceeded to read _The New York Times. _The others quietly talked amongst themselves or watched a movie.

Occasionally, while I was doing my homework, Carlisle would peek over his newspaper to check my progress. If something was wrong, he would point it out and help me figure out the correct answer.

I was deep into my English assignment when the peace was shattered by a loud knock on the door. Everyone stood up as Carlisle opened it.

"Hi Carlisle!" a very pretty young woman with curly-blonde hair proclaimed as she stepped into the apartment. She reached out and hugged him with an overenthusiastic smile. (A/N: It was an overenthusiastic smile.)

My fists clenched. Rage tore at my insides. What the hell did this slut think that she was doing, hugging _my_ big brother!? She was here for business, _not_ for wrapping her bony-ass arms around him!

I scowled and mentally slapped myself. What was _wrong_ with me?

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Jasper was gazing at me in bewilderment. Then, for some unknown reason, he grinned in what was obviously amusement. He turned, and I noticed that Edward was laughing silently at something that he was thinking to him. Alice was smirking too.

What was so funny?

**Jasper's POV **

I had to stop breathing as Carlisle's friend walked through the door. It would be a disaster if I grew too thirsty and killed her by mistake.

"Hi Carlisle!" she declared before hugging him.

Suddenly, I was nearly overcome by a wave of fury and...possessiveness and jealousy? I pivoted to see that Bella was scowling at the woman in utmost anger and disbelief. Then she closed her eyes and the anger disappeared.

When I realized what was going on, I had a powerful desire to burst out laughing. I met Edward's eye and smirked. _Somebody was feeling territorial and jealous!_ I thought to him.

He snickered noiselessly.

**Bella's POV  
**

Carlisle's voice distracted me. "Good afternoon, Marlene. How are you today?" he questioned, stepping away from the woman.

"Oh, I'm great, thank you. And yourself?" Marlene returned.

"Very well. Thank you for asking," Carlisle smiled. He gestured to us. "This is my family who I know that you must have been eager to meet."

Marlene bobbed her head. "Yes, I have. Are all of these your adopted children?

Carlisle chuckled. "Most of them are." He pointed to Esme. "This is my daughter, Esme, and her husband Edward, my son. Edward, Esme this is Dr. Marlene Jamison."

Both of them shook her hand. "We are pleased to meet your acquaintance," they announced.

"Same here."

Next, Carlisle inclined his head at Emmett and Rosalie. "And this is my son Emmett and my daughter Rosalie, who is his wife."

Rosalie grinned. "Hello, Dr. Jamison."

"It's nice to meet you," Emmett added, waving.

"This is my daughter Alice and my son Jasper, her husband," Carlisle declared.

Jasper nodded wordlessly.

"Pleased to meet you," Alice stated.

Carlisle turned to me and beckoned for me to come over to him. "And this..." he concluded, throwing an arm across my back. "...is Bella, Edward's cousin. He and Esme adopted her a few weeks ago. She is supposedly my adoptive granddaughter, but I call her my little sister, since I am too young to be her grandfather. She had just turned fourteen on the thirteenth."

Laughing gaily and lying her head on his shoulder, Marlene remarked, "How sweet! And of course you are too young to be her grandfather! You are barely older than your own children!" She shifted her attention back to me and held out her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella."

I shook it and smiled politely. But what I really wanted to do was kick her, or bite her fingers off, or throw up my lunch all over her meticulous blazer and skirt accidentally-on-purpose, or spit in her eye. Of course, I couldn't do any of that without getting in trouble. Nevertheless, she had no right to be laughing all over Carlisle. Besides, it was clear that Carlisle was uneasy about this. His placid expression didn't show it, but it was apparent in his eyes.

A minute later, I broke the handshake. Marlene reached out to pull my curls gently. I stiffened.

"It is plain to see that your little sister is being well taken care of. She is beautiful. And she has very big, thoughtful-looking brown eyes! It makes me wonder what is going through her mind. What are you thinking about, Bella?"

_That if you keep pulling my hair, I will slap all of that powder off of your face, you stupid whore,_ I nearly blurted out. I had only known her for five minutes, and I already despised her.

However, I caught myself and gave a faint smile. "Nothing important," I mumbled. _Bitch_, I added to myself.

My expression must have held some of the anger that I was feeling because Marlene frowned at Carlisle. "Have I done something wrong?" she queried. "She is looking at me as if I were her sworn enemy."

"No. Bella is shy when it comes to meeting people, that is all. You are probably making her feel uncomfortable," he replied, but he too was staring at me with eyes narrowed in confusion.

**Carlisle's POV**

Truthfully, Bella did not look a bit shy. When Marlene had tugged on her curls, I noticed that rage and hatred had flashed across Bella's eyes, even though her face was calm. Her glare was so terrifying that I prayed to God right then and there that I would never be on its receiving end.

"It is plain to see that your little sister is being well taken care of. She is beautiful. And she has very big, thoughtful-looking brown eyes! It makes me wonder what is going through her mind. What are you thinking about, Bella?" Sheila had inquired of her.

There was another flash, and I knew that whatever was going through her mind, it was not pretty. After a second, though, Bella grinned a little. "Nothing important," she responded in a low voice.

It was then that Marlene must have saw the fury in her eyes. "Have I done something wrong? She is looking at me as if I were her sworn enemy," she noted.

Of course, I had to lie that Bella was timid and possibly uneasy. I don't think that she believed me because she quirked an eyebrow, and I was grateful that she chose not to ask any further questions.

_Edward? What is the matter with Bella?_ I thought to my son.

He chortled quietly so that neither Bella nor Marlene would hear him. "Is it not obvious?" he questioned, raising his own brow. A few feet away from him, Alice and Jasper were trying to keep their faces straight. Esme was biting her lip, Rosalie was "fixing" her shirt, and Emmett was pretending to tie his sneakers. His head bobbed and his shoulders quaked continuously; he was laughing as well.

Wait. Did I miss something?

"Yes," Edward confirmed. "Couldn't you see that...?"

_See what, Edward?_

He gave me a pointed look, and that was all it took._  
_

_No!_ I thought with an inaudible chuckle. _You have to be kidding! Bella has more sense than to be envious! Why would she feel that way?  
_

"Because Dr. Jamison hugged you. She doesn't like it," he teased.

_You cannot be serious!_

Edward just grinned.

I turned to Marlene. "Shall we talk in the kitchen? You can tell me about you search there," I remarked.

She nodded. "Okay. That's fine," she stated.

"Dad, I'm afraid that I have to go. I have an essay due on Monday, and I want to finish it as quickly as possible," Jasper declared.

"All right, then. I will catch up with you later," I sighed.

Jasper left. Edward followed him, saying that he had a paper to work on too.

**Bella's POV**

When Edward and Jasper left the apartment, I sat down on my chair and continued with my homework. I was still rankling, though for what, I had no idea. Maybe it was because I didn't like that prissy skank touching my hair. It would have served her right if I _had_ bitten her fingers off. Perhaps I should have done so. That way, she would keep her nasty-ass hands to herself!

There was a snort. I looked up to see Alice covering her face, trembling with laughter.

I narrowed my eyes. "What's hilarious?" I demanded, but not in an unkind way.

"N-Nothing. Just a vision I had of Jasper," she responded.

"Oh." I went back to my English assignment.

A heavy silence fell, only broken by Carlisle and Marlene's voices. By the sound of the conversation, I could tell that Mom, Charlie, and Phil still hadn't been found.

Every once in a while, Marlene would giggle over something that Carlisle joked about. I had to swallow back the fury that welled up inside of me, not to mention the urge to throttle her and shut her up...

Hold on_. What the fuck was the matter with me_? Why did I hate her so much? It wasn't as if she had insulted me; Marlene _was_ a nice lady, albeit she didn't understand the concept of personal boundaries. And her laugh irked my soul.

It was after five fifteen when I was done with my homework. Esme had already prepared dinner, so I swiftly packed my books away, then went to the kitchen.

"...Miss Jamison, would you care to have dinner with us? I made penne pasta, garlic bread, and collard greens," Esme added as I perched on the seat next to Carlisle's.

"Um...okay. I suppose that I could eat," Marlene said.

Esme looked up. "Alice? Rosalie? Emmett? Are any of you hungry?"

They shook their heads. "No. We'll eat later," Rosalie murmured.

"Okay. Suit yourself," Esme proclaimed. She served us our food and we tucked into our meal.

"So, Bella. What grade are you in?" Marlene inquired.

I jumped, startled. "Ninth," I replied.

She nodded thoughtfully. "Do you like your school? I'm sure that you must have a lot of friends."

I pursed my lips. "Oakland's not too bad, I guess. But since I'm new there, I don't have any friends yet."

"Mmm. Well, you'll probably make a few soon. Just give it time."

"Yeah."

Nobody said anything else, so the rest of the meal passed by quietly. I helped Esme with the dishes after everyone had finished eating. Then we watched TV with the others until seven thirty, when Carlisle had to get ready to leave.

After collecting the things that he needed, Carlisle put on his jacket. "I love you, kids, and I will see you tomorrow. Be good," he admonished.

When I ran over to hug and kiss him, he lifted me up in his arms. "Good-bye, Carlisle. Oh and do you think that you can buy me a lemon meringue pie and some éclairs, please? I've been having a taste for them lately," I remarked.

"Certainly, my dear! Anything for you." He flipped me upside-down, but kept holding me. He turned to Marlene. "It's hard to say no to this selfless girl. She is just too cute."

"I've noticed," she observed.

Carlisle gazed at me. "Did you know that, Bella? You are one little cutie." He began to tickle my stomach.

I shrieked wildly with laughter. "Quit it, Carlisle! I'm too old for this! Put me down, blood is rushing to my head."

"Oh, I apologize." He set me down on my feet and embraced me. "I love you, Bella. Listen to Esme and call me if you need me for anything."

"Don't worry, you know that I will. Love you too."

We kissed each other on the cheek. Then Carlisle and Marlene said one final good-bye and left.

**Carlisle's POV**

"It was nice visiting you. And I enjoyed meeting your family. Your children and your sister are very well mannered," Marlene opined as we walked downstairs.

"Thank you. I am sure that they were pleased to meet you too," I smiled, lying a little. Bella didn't appear to be pleased at all, but I did not mention this.

She paused for a moment, then uttered, "I am sorry that I wasn't able to find her parents and stepfather."

I waved my hand. "Don't feel discouraged. You will eventually. A lot of people have been found already."

"Would you mind if I came back next Monday?"

"Of course not."

When we exited the building, we went our separate ways. I to Lenox Hill, and Marlene to her own house.

At the hospital, it was no less busier than it was yesterday. The ER was filled with accident victims, people who had been shot, etc. I worked diligently, the hours flying by almost without notice.

"Dr. Cullen!" a nurse shouted breathlessly some time after eleven.

I turned to him. "Yes?" I queried.

"A family of three was just brought in from a car accident. The vehicle had lost control and smashed sideways into a tree. Both parents are dead, but the infant is in very critical condition. The car crashed on the side with the car seat. They need your help in room 107 immediately."

"Very well, I'll be there right away."

Minutes later, when I dashed into the aforesaid room, I realized that the infant's predicament was as serious as the nurse told me that it was. From the sound of its heartbeat, the baby had lost a vast amount of blood. It had a tube in its nose because it wasn't able to breathe on its own.

One of the doctors glanced at me as I approached the bed. "Dr. Cullen, thank goodness you're here. Please, help us. We're losing him!" she claimed.

I joined them and we began the necessary operations right away. However, they must not have worked, or the baby was already too far gone. It died in less than a half an hour. Some of the nurses had to keep themselves from crying, and I must admit that tears came to my eyes, but I wiped them away.

"Well," I sighed, feeling disappointed. "We have done everything that we could for the little guy. I am quite sure that he is in heaven now, with his beloved parents."

Everyone nodded in agreement. I washed my hands before going to my office to do some paperwork. As I filled out the documents, I thoughts often wandered to the baby. I was heartbroken that we were unable to save him, but God knew best. Perhaps he wanted him to be with his mother and father.

Just before dawn, my shift ended. I left the hospital, went to the store, and drove home, running my fingers through my hair occasionally.

As soon as Esme laid her eyes on me, she knew that I had a bad night. I told her what happened, and she did not say anything, only embraced me. I hugged her back softly, then went to Alice and Jasper's old room to be alone. My children would let me be; they knew not to bother me whenever I felt depressed.

**Bella's POV**

The eerie silence that drifted through the apartment woke me up the next morning. I yawned and peered at the clock. It was 6:10am.

I climbed out of bed and proceeded to take a shower. After I had gotten dressed, I met Esme in the kitchen.

"Hey," I mumbled.

"Good morning, baby," she whispered.

I sat at the table and looked around. "Where's Carlisle? Is he doing overtime?"

Shaking her head, Esme replied. "No. He's in Alice and Jasper's bedroom."

Frowning in concern, I asked, "How come?"

"Well, he didn't have such a great evening at work. An infant that he and some of his co-workers died while they tried to save him, and he's very depressed. He needs solitude, so try not to disturb him."

"Okay. I won't."

I ate my breakfast, then checked to make that my school supplies were in my backpack. When Carlisle still hadn't emerged by the time I was ready to leave for Oakland, I hastily jotted down a note.

_Hi Carlisle. Esme explained what happened, and I just wanted to let you know that I am sorry, and that I feel for you. See you after school, big brother. I hope that you feel better soon._

_ Love you._

_Bella xoxo_

I slid the letter halfway under Alice's door, then kissed Esme good-bye.

**Carlisle's POV**

I heard rustling near the door, but didn't pay much attention to it. When I smelled the aroma of strawberries and freesias in the room, however, I turned to my left.

A folded sheet of paper laid under the crack of the entryway. I took it in my hands and opened it.

_Hi Carlisle. Esme explained what happened, and I just wanted to let you know that I am sorry, and that I feel for you. See you after school, big brother. I hope that you feel better soon._

_ Love you._

_Bella xoxo_

My heart swelled with love as I reached the end of the note, and I couldn't help but smile. Bella was truly a gift from God! What would I do without her?

**Bella's POV**

For the entire day, I was hardly able to concentrate on school; I was so worried about Carlisle. My heart ached knowing that he was feeling despondent. Poor brother, and poor little infant. I prayed that it was happy in heaven.

The hours went by slowly, and I was relieved when the final bell rang. I left Oakland and took the short walk back the apartment.

Carlisle was still in Alice's bedroom when I arrived home. Bummed, I greeted Esme, then went to do the one page of Algebra homework that I had been assigned. I finished early, so I stayed in my room until it was time for dinner. I hoped that Carlisle would show up then, but he didn't.

As if she noticed knew how upset I was, Esme stated, "When Carlisle is depressed or upset, he may lock himself in his room for quite a while. The longest he shut himself away was three days. But don't worry about him too much. He will get over this soon. Just be patient and give him time."

But I didn't want to be patient. I hated that he felt like this. I wished that there were some way that I could make him feel better, to let him know that I shared his pain.

Sighing gloomily, I ate the rest of my meal. Esme said that I didn't have to wash the dishes today, so I returned to my bedroom and called my friend Gabrielle. She was excited to hear from me and told me about everything that was happening in her life.

"I miss you. When are you going to visit?" she inquired once.

"Maybe I will soon, if Oakland doesn't keep me too busy. I miss you too" I remarked.

Then I had to hang up to keep from wasting my minutes. There wasn't really anything else to do, so I listened to music and played games on my laptop until midnight. I went to the living room, where Esme talking to Edward on her cell phone.

"'Night, Esme," I said to her.

She smiled. "Night, baby girl," she responded, kissing my cheek.

I was about to knock on Alice's door, but at the last second, I chose not to. I knew that he heard me coming. "Goodnight, Carlisle."

"Goodnight, my dear," a low voice replied.

After that, I crept into my room and switched off the lamp. I laid down and threw the blanket over me.

For some reason, however, I was unable to sleep. I tried listening to music, but it was a while before I realized that it wasn't helping. After tossing and turning for an hour or so, I decided to make some warm milk. That always made me feel drowsy, if nothing else.

To my great astonishment, I saw Carlisle slumped in his chair. Esme had left without my noticing; she was likely at her house with Edward. I wanted to say something to him, but he still looked rather morose, so I let him be.

I poured some milk into a cup and heated it up in the microwave. I drank it until the glass was empty, then rinsed it out.

I was heading back to my room when I turned to Carlisle once more. He looked so exhausted, although I knew that he wasn't, since vampires never became tired. I started to approach him, but changed my mind and turned away.

"You don't have to leave, sweetheart. You may sit with me, if you like."

Jumping a foot in the air, I pivoted. I hadn't expected him to say anything. "That's okay. I know that you want to be by yourself. I'll just go back to bed," I murmured.

"No, Bella, you can stay. I need a distraction anyhow. Come here. Come sit with me and tell me how your day at school went." He held out his arms.

I walked over to him and perched on his lap. Resting my head on his shoulder, I whispered, "School was fine. Nothing unusual happened."

"Mmm. I know that you are glad that it's Friday."

"Yeah. I...I meant what I said in my note. I really am sorry."

Carlisle kissed my forehead. "I know that you meant it, and thank you. It breaks my heart when incidents like that occur, and when I'm depressed, I prefer to be alone. It isn't easy to talk to my children when I am upset; most of them never seem to understand how I feel very much, except for Edward and Jasper. However, I don't speak to them very often. It makes me feel rather lonely."

I gazed at him sympathetically. "Why is it easier for you to talk me then, if not anyone else? You've known your children longer than you've known me."

"That is certainly true, but I feel as if you can understand how I feel more than the others. You do, don't you?"

"Yes, but you should involve them more. I'm sure that they can learn to comprehend you better."

"Perhaps."

Carlisle didn't look very optimistic. In fact, he seemed to be even more unhappy.

I laid my hand on his. "I apologize for saying that Carlisle. It just makes me sad that you feel as if you were all alone, especially when you haven't found your true other half." I kissed him on the cheek and snuggled into him. "Maybe when I grow up, I'll marry you, just to keep you company. We can find a lot of fun things to do together. Then, when you find you soul mate, you can file for a divorce. I'll gladly step aside with no hard feelings as long as you don't kick me out of the family."

I had noticed that Carlisle begun to tremble in the middle of my speech. But at the end of it, his chest was quaking so much that I started to feel perplexed.

When I glanced upwards, I saw that his head was thrown back in laughter. His hand was covering his eyes. "Bella, you really have no clue how sweet you are!" he chuckled loudly. Then he kissed the top of my hair and cradled me. "I may just take you up on that offer."

"That wasn't a joke. I was dead serious," I muttered, and I was shocked to realize that I _was_.

"Oh, I knew that you were! No one I that know-besides myself-is quite as serious as you are when you make your mind up to be."

I just stared at him.

**Carlisle's POV**

Bella was obviously amazed that she did mean everything that she had told me. However, if she knew that I _would_ take her up on that offer in the near future, her surprise would be greater still. Unless she had found out that I was her soul mate by then, of course.

Which, I felt certain, may happen sooner than I think. It was only a matter of time before Bella pieced all of the clues together. Her obsession and her infatuation with me. The fact that she didn't like women outside of our family to even _embrace_ me in a friendly way. My evasive response when she asked if I had not found my true other half.

More signs would appear in time, enough that Bella will start to realize that her connection to me was deeper than she would have ever suspected.

This led to an important question, one that I had asked myself a good number of times: _When she does find out, how will she react? What will she **do**?_

Unfortunately, there were a million answers, and none of them were definite. The only that I could do, for now, was to sit back and wait.

And when she realized that I was her soul mate, I would deal with whatever she planned to do next.

(A/N: **PLEASE REVIEW**. I hope that this chapter wasn't too long for you, and that you enjoyed it. Should Bella find out that Carlisle is her mate soon, or not? Tell me what you think and leave any suggestions if you have them. Happy Thanksgiving!)


	13. Chapter 12 part 1: I'm in Trouble!

(A/N: Kudos to **Phoenixhp5t3** for the inspiration.)

**Bella's POV**

Carlisle was still holding me when I realized something minutes later. "Um...didn't you have to work tonight?" I queried.

He nodded. "I did, but I called out sick," he murmured. "I shouldn't have done it, but I needed time off to clear my head."

I pursed my lips in understanding. "Oh. Well, you'll feel better soon."

"I already do."

Laughing loudly, I exclaimed, "That was fast!"

"Yes, it was," Carlisle agreed, snickering. "And it is all thanks to you, my dear."

"Me? How did I make you feel better?"

He kissed the top of my head. "Your being such a sweet girl, that is how."

I grinned and punched him lightly. Then I snuggled into him, feeling a little weary.

Carlisle tilted my chin so that I was looking at him. "Are you tired, my dear?" he inquired.

"Kind of. I think that the warm milk that I drank earlier is starting to take effect," I mumbled.

"Oh, I see. Come on, then, let me take you to your room so that you can acquire some sleep."

The next thing I knew, he was laying me down on my bed and tucking me in. "Comfortable?" he questioned gently after fluffing my pillows.

I bobbed my head. "Yes," I replied.

He smiled. "Good. I shall see you in the morning, and we will spend the entire day together."

I frowned in bewilderment. "Won't Esme or the others be here?"

"No. They have gone on a hunting trip and won't be back until later tomorrow evening. After that, I will go hunting, but I will return before you wake up on Sunday morning."

It was then that I noticed that his eyes were black as midnight. "You do look as if you're thirsty. Won't you be able to control yourself?"

"Of course I will. My children would tell you themselves that I have an exceptional amount of self-control, not that I wouldn't agree. After all, I work in a hospital, and for a vampire, that requires a good amount of it. So do not fret, Bella. I would never hurt you...intentionally, at least."

I smiled in relief. "I believe you, and if you ever did, I'd forgive you because I know that you wouldn't have meant it. I don't think that you would mean to hurt anyone else either. You're too kind to."

He patted my hair. "Thank you, sweetheart. I'm pleased that you have faith in me. And now, I believe that it is time for you to get some shut-eye."

Reaching out to take his arm, I blurted out in a whisper, "Can you sing to me, please? That always helps me fall asleep."

I was kind of wondering if he would say no. I was sure that I was beginning to get on his nerves by now.

Carlisle caressed my hands and kissed both palms. "You don't even have to ask. You know that I would do anything for you as long as it is not dangerous. Besides, I owe you for making me feel better. The least I can do is return the favor. French or Italian?" he questioned.

I shrugged. "It doesn't really matter. Either is fine; I like to hear you sing no matter what language you use."

His eyes gleamed. "I am touched and flattered, Bella. And before I sing, there is something that I would like to ask, if I may?"

"Shoot." Did he always have to be so damn charming? I almost wished that he wouldn't be; it didn't help my being infatuated with him.

"Do you understand anything that I sing about?"

"Yes. I may not know a few of the words that you say, but I know most of them, so I have a general understanding of whatever song you sing."

Carlisle nodded pensively. "Your mother and stepfather have taught you well. Out of curiosity, what languages can you understand?"

When I told him, his eyes widened slightly. "That is quite a few," he remarked. "All right, now. Close your eyes, please, and I shall sing to you."

I did as he requested, and Carlisle began to sing while caressing my hands. Gradually, his voice grew quieter and quieter until wasn't able to hear it at all.

(Next Day)

The first thing that I heard early the next morning was clattering metal in the kitchen. I stretched, then proceeded to jump out of bed when something on my side-table drawer caught my eye.

It was two black remote controls tied together with a pink ribbon. Next to it was a yellow post-it note. _Thank you again for being there for me. Here is a little something for your room. It was about time you had one, in case you ever wanted to have some lone time. Turn around and look in the corner to the right of your window. I hope that you enjoy it, and I love you, sweet girl. From Carlisle.  
_

I pivoted to see a large TV and a VCR/DVD player resting on a sturdy table. I grinned, then untied the remotes to see if they worked. The power on both the TV and VCR/DVD switched on immediately. I was glad to see that I had cable.

After browsing through some of the channels, I shut the TV off and went to take a quick shower. Then I dressed before heading to the kitchen.

Carlisle was frying sausages and eggs sunny-side up. He beamed at me as I approached him. "_Buon giorno_, Bellissima," he declared. (A/N: "Buon giorno" = "Good morning")

I reddened as I kissed him on the cheek. "_Buon giorno, fratello grande_," I greeted. "Thank you for the TV and DVD/VCR." (A/N: "Fratello grande" means "Big brother.")

"No problem, my dear. You may take a seat. I am nearly finished cooking your breakfast. While you are eating, we can think of what we shall do today."

"Alright."

I sat down and placed my chin in my hands. Carlisle hummed as he continued to fix my food. I closed my eyes and listened intently to his beautiful voice. At times, I mimicked him jokingly, which caused him to laugh.

He ruffled my hair. "Be quiet," he ordered playfully, setting my food on the table with a glass of milk. He perched on the chair across from me as I began to eat.

When I was halfway through the meal, Carlisle cleared his throat. "Bella, you never actually told me what you like to do for enjoyment. Why don't you tell me? I'm sure that we can figure out what to do afterwards."

I grimaced. "There's not much that I like to do, and my pastimes would hardly be considered "enjoyment" to some people. I mostly like to read and write and go to an arcade or the movies."

He quirked an eyebrow in interest. "Oh. What do you write?"

"Poems, but mostly stories. I'm better at writing those, I guess. Stories, I mean."

Carlisle nodded slowly. "And what do you like to write about?"

"Anything."

"Do you have any copies of your work?"

I bobbed my head. "Yes, in my closet. I haven't written anything in a while. Would you like to see what I have, though?"

He nodded with a tiny grin. "Sure, if you want to. But you don't have to if it makes you uncomfortable," he added.

"No, no! You can, I don't mind."

**Carlisle's POV**

Accordingly, after Bella's breakfast had been eaten and the dishes washed, she led me to her room. I sat down on the bed while she looked for something in her closet. A minute later, she gave me several folders.

"If you think they are terrible or ridiculous, just say so," Bella mumbled.

I highly doubted that anything she wrote would be either. I took the folders and read the contents of them all in vampire speed. She was not joking when she told me that she wrote anything. The subjects on her poems and stories ranged from animals to plants and then to life in general. I must admit that she did not start off too great. Then again, who does on their first tries? However, Bella's more recent works were spectacular, especially the rewritten ones.

When I was finished reading everything, I turned to her. "Bella, these are wonderful," I commented in awe. "I'm serious," I added when she rose her eyebrow at me quizzically.

She pursed her lips. "You could just be saying that to be nice."

I shook my head at her with smile. "Bella, my dear, have I ever lied to you?"

"No," Bella responded.

I nodded. "And I never will. That is a promise. Have you ever submitted any of your poems or stories?"

"I've thought about doing it, but I never believed that anyone would like my stuff besides me and my family."

"Well, I am certain that other people would like it them if they read them. Perhaps when Oakland has a literary contest, you could enter one of your most recent poems or stories. It is possible that you would win second place at the very least."

Bella frowned, indecisive. "Maybe. I'll think about it," she sighed.

"Well, it was only a suggestion. You don't have to do it if you don't want to." I held out the folders.

She reached out to take them. Her hand grazed mine and I felt electric charging through it.

I jumped, and Bella did the same, her irritated and confused expression mirroring my own. However, I waved it off. She must have chosen to do so as well because she did not mention it.

After Bella put her folders away, I clapped my hands together. "Soooo...what would you like to do now?" I questioned.

"How about we go to the living room and talk about you? You never told me everything after yourself," she remarked.

"That depends. What do you want to know about me?"

"Your life. I'm sure that it's interesting. What was it like before you were turned into a vampire? What happened before you met and changed Edward and the others?"

Laughing softly, I replied, "I'm afraid that it is a rather long story."

Bella grinned. "You don't have to tell me everything today," she amended. "Just tell me a part of it."

I kissed her forehead. "All right. Let's go."

** Bella's POV**

Carlisle picked me up and carried me into the family room. After making ourselves comfortable on the sofa, he began his story. I listened in rapture as he told me about his parents, growing up in London in the mid-1600s (Damn! I knew that he was born a long time ago, but I didn't know that he was that old, not that he looked it of course.)

Then he recounted the day that he became a pastor (_And he was cursing Emmett out?_ _Badass!_ I thought with amusement. But even pastors aren't perfect.) He also explained how his first raid turned out, and the grueling pain that he endured when he had gotten bitten by a vampire in a sewer. I grimaced in sympathy when he told me that he stayed in the forest for three months to keep from feeding on humans, but I was also immensely proud of him. I could see that it took everything in his power not to kill anybody. I was happy for him when he finally discovered that a vampire was able to survive on animals' blood.

After that, Carlisle went on about studying the sciences in France, Spain, and Italy, and meeting the Volturi. That revealed how he was fluent in French and Italian.

He left off on the part where he parted ways from the Volturi after twenty years. They had constantly attempted to influence him to drink human blood, but he wouldn't do it. After two decades, he thought that it would be best to set off on his own again. In between all of these events, he added a few other important or unimportant occurrences and situations that he had ran into.

"It is time that you had lunch; it is one o'clock. You must be famished. How about I order pizza for you? Unless you prefer something else?" Carlisle queried.

"Pizza is fine. May I have vegetarian, please? But don't forget to tell them not to add olives or onions. I don't like either of them, especially as pizza toppings," I stated.

"Do not worry. I shall definitely mention it to them."

He tapped my nose before rummaging around for a menu. When Carlisle had found one, he dialed a number and had a vegetarian pizza ordered in less than a minute and a half.

When he put away his phone, I laid my head on his shoulder. "You had a very interesting life so far, Carlisle. But you must have been extremely lonely, being an only child, and traveling by yourself most of the time. It's no wonder that you changed and adopted Edward and the others."

Carlisle chuckled wistfully and held me close. "Yes. After all of those years, I felt that it was high time that I had a companion. Edward's mother, Elizabeth, had asked me to turn him into a vampire while she was dying of Spanish Influenza, and I did. He was my first companion."

"Mmm. I know that you were glad to finally have a son."

"I was indeed. You have no idea how much."

Smiling, I mumbled, "I can guess. It must have been like when you found out that you can live on animals' blood." I leaned back. "Was it like a moment of the Lion King? When the lady sang "Nants Ingonyama" in the beginning? Or did you hear music similar to the music they played on the part Simba said that he was going back and Rafiki started cheering?" I teased.

Carlisle threw his head back and roared with laughter. "Oh, shut up, you silly, silly girl!" he chortled, tickling me.

I giggled loudly as I tried to push his hands away. "Stop! Please!"

"Nope! This is what you deserve for being so goofy!" He tickled me some more.

"Seriously, Carlisle! Please stop! I'm too old for this! I can't catch my breath! Please!"

He stopped and scooped me into his arms. "Bella, Bella, what am I going to do with you?" he whispered, continuing laughing a little.

"I don't know," I replied.

A while later, the pizza was delivered. Carlisle poured me a cup of ginger ale as I began to eat.

"Thank you," I said.

"You are welcome, my dear," he returned.

My cheeks grew warm. I couldn't help but like it when he called me "my dear", baby, sweetheart, sweet girl, or Bellissima. It suddenly became clear that I liked it more than I should.

I mentally shook myself and tried to think of something else. "Um, Carlisle? Do I have to eat all of this right now?" I inquired, gesturing to the pizza box.

He blinked and chortled. "No. I was going to put it away in case you wanted more later."

Why did I even ask that question? "Well, of course. But sometimes I do think that you and Esme are trying to make me fat with the amount of food that you feed me," I joked.

"No, not fat. We just want to make sure that you are healthy."

"Well then, I'm ashamed, Doc. Pizza isn't healthy at all."

"Stop complaining before I eat the rest of your slice."

Carlisle leaned forward and attempted to bite it, but I held it away. "Ah-ah! Human food not good for vampire," I remarked in a baby voice, wagging my finger.

He stuck his tongue out at me, leaned forward in inhuman speed, and chomped down the rest of my first slice in only one bite.

"Hey!" I exclaimed before rolling my eyes and taking a sip of my ginger ale.

Carlisle winced in disgust as he chewed the pizza. "Mwah!" he groaned. "Tastes like shit!"

Soda sprayed out of my mouth as I burst out laughing in amazement. "Aww, Carlisle, see what you made me do? But that's what you get for eating food, and watch your language! You're just as bad as your kids!"

Grinning, he muttered sheepishly, "Perhaps I am."

"Yes, you are. And if you weren't twenty-three, I would make you stand in the corner-"

I was about to continue when his phone rang.

Carlisle answered it. "Hello? Oh, hi, how are you?...I am fine, just babysitting Bella for the day, my children went for a hike...No, I did not forget...Five o'clock? That is good...All right, I'll see you then...You have a wonderful day too. Good-bye."

"Who was that?" I queried in curiosity.

He turned to me. "Doctor Jamison. She was just reminding me that she is coming for another visit on Monday," he responded.

I lowered my head and scowled, my teeth clenched, and I couldn't understand why I was so upset.

**Carlisle's POV**

I noticed her frowning. "What's wrong, sweetheart? Do you not like her?" I questioned, creasing my eyebrows to make myself appear worried. To be honest, I was trying very hard not to laugh. She looked exactly like a cute little kitten when she was jealous and angry.

Bella shrugged. "I would like her more if she didn't throw herself on people when being introduced to someone," she sighed.

_If she didn't throw herself on **me**, you mean_, I thought with a silent chuckle. But I smiled gently at her. "Don't fret over it. Doctor Jamison means well. I wouldn't consider her a friend if she did not."

"Oh, she's nice. I didn't mean to sound as if she were a bad person. I guess that I'll learn to like her in time," Bella murmured.

"I'm certain that you will," I agreed. "She took a shine to you, after all."

"Do you like her?"

I had to be honest. "Yes. I wouldn't consider her as a close friend, however."

Nodding absently, Bella ate two more slices of her pizza. She probably did not know it, but she looked rather pleased that I did not think of Marlene as a best friend.

After putting the box in the refrigerator, she inquired, "So, what will we do now? Can you tell me where you went after you left the Volturi?"

I tapped my chin in mock thoughtfulness. "Well..." I drew out the word.

Bella jutted out her bottom lip. "Please? I'll be your bestest friend."

Smiling widely, I embraced her and said, "You are already my bestest friend, Bellissima. (I had to stifle a chuckle when her cheeks flushed. She looked so endearing.) But...yes, I will continue my story. If I'm not finished by tonight, I will be by late tomorrow afternoon. All right?"

She inclined her head and snuggled into me. I kissed her on the forehead, then carried on with my personal tale.

"After leaving the Volturi, I traveled east, and..." I whispered, rocking her slowly.

I told her about all of the exploring I did in Europe and Africa, where I had ran into several vampires. Stefan and Vladimir of the Romanian Coven. Three European nomads called Alistair, Charles, and his mate Makenna. Maggie, Siobhan, and her mate Liam of the Irish Coven. Amun and his mate Kebi, Benjamin and his mate Tia of the Egyptian Coven.

By the time I was preparing to explain how my trip to the United States went, Bella had fallen asleep. I decided that she had heard enough for one day and carried her to her room.

However, as I laid her down on her bed, she squirmed. "Carlisle?" she grunted.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I did not intend to wake you up. Go back to sleep, baby," I ordered softly, tucking her in.

"No, _I_ am sorry. I really was listening to your story, but I dozed off. That was rude of me," she mumbled.

I caressed her hair and placed a kiss on her temple. "It is all right, dear. You were just exhausted. Either that, or I'm a horrible storyteller."

Bella shook her head, her eyes remaining closed. "No, that's not it. Your voice is soothing. You're a good storyteller."

If I had the ability to blush, I would have been doing so right then. "I am touched. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Carlisle?"

"Mmm?"

"I really did mean what I said last night. I think that I will marry you."

I couldn't help but laugh. "I know that you did. Maybe I will let you."

She gave a tired chortle. "Really?"

I replied to this question carefully. "I do not know. I may. It depends."

Bella shifted. "On what?"

I pursed my lips. "On if I had found my mate by that time."

"Oh. Okay. Am I seriously your best friend?"

I smiled. "Yes, you are, my little companion. Go back to sleep now. If you do not see me later, just remember that I am hunting," I stated.

Nodding, Bella remarked, "I think that you'll be gone by the time I wake up again. Could you sing to me before you leave?"

I gave her another kiss. "Sure."

I proceeded to sing another song in French. Bella started to drift off almost immediately. Just before she could, though, she whispered, "Carlisle?"

"Yes, sweet girl?" I questioned.

"Even though you were an only child, you're the best big brother in the world. And the best that I could ever have. You're my favorite person, and I love you."

"Aww! Thank you, Bella. I love you too. You have no idea how much what you said truly means to me, how much you mean to me. You're the best little sister that I could ever have, and my favorite person as well."

Bella grinned and fell asleep.

**Bella's POV**

The next day passed by quickly. By evening, Carlisle had finished his story. I was sorry when he had stopped telling it. It was so good.

Before I knew it, it was Monday morning. Another long week of school awaited me. Not to mention that this was the day when the bitch-excuse me, Marlene-would be coming for another visit.

To make matters worse, Esme had told me to do my homework in the living room while Marlene was here. Hopefully, I'll be finished with my assignments before then, but I greatly doubted it. I would likely come back with a pile of stuff to do.

Seething with irritation, I headed for Oakland. For once, hardly anyone talked to me. Angela Weber apologized to me for asking why my family took me in, but I told her that she didn't have to be sorry. She meant no harm; she was too nice.

Unfortunately, I was right to believe that I would have a lot of homework. Well, I didn't have _that_ much, but it was enough that I wouldn't be done until six thirty, seven o'clock.

The only person who wasn't at the apartment when I arrived there was Jasper. This was not a surprise, though. I was kind of taken aback that Alice was there; she hardly ever left his side.

Carlisle had placed my armchair next to his again, along with the TV tray. After saying hello to everyone, I began to do my homework.

By 4:55, more than half of it was done. I had finished with my Spanish and was starting on my Chemistry when there was a knock on the door.

_Here IT comes_, I said to myself with a curled lip.

I kept my attention on the worksheet in front of me as I heard the door open. "Oh, hello there, Marlene. I trust that your day went well?" Carlisle asked politely.

I loved how gentleman-y he was all of the time.

"Hello, Carlisle. My day hasn't gone too bad, so far. How was yours?" Marlene returned in a flirtatious voice.

_Flirtatious!? Is this whore planning to make a move on **my** brother!? I'm glad that Carlisle doesn't like her that much.  
_

"Oh, my day has been fine," he replied. "Would you care to sit down for a while as you give me your update?"

"Thank you, Carlisle. I suppose that I have time to stay for a bit."

Marlene stepped into the living room to said hi to everyone else. She shook Edward and Esme's hands first, then Alice's, Emmett, and Rosalie's. Then she came over to where I was sitting.

"Hi Bella. It's nice to see you," she greeted.

"You too, Doctor Jamison," I replied with a fake smile, grasping her hand.

She turned to Carlisle. "Your little sister is too sweet," she giggled, reaching out to touch my curls.

I hissed and edged away from her, sounding uncannily like a kitten. If she laid one finger on me, I was going to chop it off and shove it up her ass!

Carlisle and the others, except for Marlene (who fortunately didn't see or hear me), eyed me with amusement and/or surprise. Carlisle even grinned faintly.

I blinked and mentally slapped myself. What was wrong with me?

To my great relief, Marlene realized that I didn't want her to touch me and left me alone. She stayed for only a little more than a half an hour. Finally, she collected her belongings and Carlisle walked with her to the door when she turned to him.

"Carlisle, may I ask you a question?" she queried.

"Of course you may," he responded.

She stepped too close to him. "I know that you're busy on the weekdays, but would you like to have lunch with me on Saturday?"

I clenched my hands so tightly that my knuckles cracked. Was she asking _my_ brother out?

Looking up, I saw Carlisle running his fingers through his hair with a wince. "Er...I am afraid that I can't. I will be out of town this weekend. But thank you for asking. It was kind of you, and I appreciate it."

Marlene slumped, but grinned weakly. "Oh. Well, that's too bad. Maybe another time." She hugged him lightly after he inclined his head.

I smirked._ Yeah, and besides that, he wouldn't want to go out with you anyway, you greasy, cross-eyed, snaggle-toothed, knock-kneed whore!_

There were several gasps. In my peripheral vision, I noticed that everyone but Marlene was staring at me in total shock, their mouths half open. Edward and Esme peered at me with disappointment and incredulity. There was also a hint of anger in their eyes._  
_

Oh, shit. Did I say that out loud?

Major oops.

**Carlisle's POV**

"Yeah, and besides that, he wouldn't want to go out with you anyway, you greasy, cross-eyed, snaggle-toothed, knock-kneed whore!" a low voice growled as I embraced Marlene.

My head shot up when I recognized the voice as Bella's. The said person was glaring at Marlene with a combination of fury and smug satisfaction. Everyone was speechless with amazement, but their surprise was nothing compared to mine, especially after Bella hissed at Marlene very much like a kitten when she tried to pat her hair.

Luckily, me and my family were the only ones who had heard her on both occasions. If Marlene did, there was no telling how she would react.

I backed away from her and smiled. "Yes, perhaps another time will be good. I will let you know," I stated, doubting that I would.

Nodding, Marlene said good-bye. Then she left out of the apartment, and Edward and Esme (or I, if they wanted me to) had to decide how to deal with Bella.

**Bella's POV**

As soon as Marlene was gone, all eyes were on me once again. I felt my cheeks blistering as I gazed nervously at everybody. Alice, Carlisle, and Rosalie just stared at me in return. Edward and Esme were frowning, but Emmett was laughing quietly into the crook of his elbow. That is, until Rosalie slapped him on the back of his head. Personally, I didn't know what was so hilarious myself.

"It's not funny, Emmett!" she reprimanded, although her face twitched. Alice's did too, but she kept her expression neutral.

Esme unfroze and laid the pen that she was holding on her crossword puzzle book. "Isabella Marie Cullen, put your things in your room and meet me in the bathroom. We need to have a talk," she murmured.

I nodded. "Yes, Esme," I whispered. I knew that I was in trouble, but oddly, I didn't feel the slightest bit of remorse.

Standing up, I did as she told me. After dumping my backpack on the floor and my homework on my desk, I trudged into the hallway.

It was only when I had a glimpse of Carlisle's face as he watched me from loveseat that I began to feel ashamed. He looked so sad and disappointed that it broke my heart. If he had seemed furious, it probably would have been easier for me to bear my guilt. I deserved his rage. Then again, I was unable to imagine him angry, especially at me. Still, I hissed at his co-worker. On top of that, I called her names that shouldn't be spoken unless someone earned it.

What must Carlisle think of me? I was sure that he thought that I had almost no upbringing (which wasn't true), and I couldn't blame him if he did. He probably didn't like me as much any longer, either. I was certain that I wasn't his favorite person or "little companion" anymore. But I didn't want Carlisle to hate me! He was the only person who truly understood me, even more than Mom and Gabrielle did. If he despised me, I was sure (although I didn't know how or why) that would lose it.

And Edward and Esme. They had adopted me, and they cared and loved me like their own flesh and blood. How could I repay them in this way? Had I gone nuts? Was I fucking crazy, heartless?

Esme was sitting on the edge of the tub as I entered the bathroom. "Sit down here, Bella," she ordered gently, pointing at the toilet.

I closed the lit and perched on it. Unable to meet her eyes, I stared at my hands.

Taking a deep breath, Esme stated, "Bella, look at me, please."

I raised my head and turned to her. She didn't appeared to be angry, but her face was drawn.

"Bella, I am very ashamed of and disappointed in your behavior. You are lucky that Doctor Jamison wasn't paying attention to you when you hissed at her. You are also lucky that she didn't hear what you said to her. I cannot believe that you would call her such degrading names! I will not tolerate such abusive, profane language from you. And you know that Edward and Carlisle won't either. You are only fourteen years old! You shouldn't be talking in that manner. Not at all.

"So, as a warning, I will wash your mouth out with soap. In addition to that, you cannot watch TV for three days, which means that I am going to take your TV and DVD/VCR away for that period of time. The next time that you do this, I'm afraid that you'll have to receive a spanking."

I opened my mouth to say something in disbelief and outrage, but her eyes hardened, so I closed it.

"Do you understand me, Isabella?" Esme inquired sternly.

"Yes, Esme," I responded.

She peered at me intently before nodding. Then she stood up, grabbed a bar of soap, and held it under the faucet.

After that, she turned to me. "Open your mouth and stick out your tongue," she instructed.

With the look that she was giving me, I knew that I had no choice but to obey. I grimaced at the taste of the soap as she scoured my cheeks and tongue vigorously until there was foam in my mouth. I wasn't allowed to spit it out for five minutes as a reminder to not use profanity.

Once the aforesaid minutes had passed, Esme declared, "You may gargle and spit the soap out now."

Relieved, I filled my mouth with a ton of water before getting rid of the offending washing device. "I'm so sorry, Esme. I really am. I know that you must think that I'm a terrible person now," I mumbled.

She gave me a firm hug. "Oh baby, I forgive you. I am only doing this because I love you. I don't want you to grow up with a foul mouth and thinking that you can disrespect people whenever you feel like it. And you are not a terrible person, Isabella. You are mine and Edward's sweet, intelligent, caring, and loving _daughter_, and always will be. Do you understand?"

I wrapped my arms around her. "Yes, Mom. I love you too." I didn't mean to call her that, but it felt so right. Esme embraced me tighter.

A moment later, she kissed me on the forehead. "And now, baby girl, I believe that you have someone else to apologize to. Two people, in fact."

"Okay," I gulped in anxiety. I ducked my head as I walked out of the bathroom.

Carlisle was sitting in his armchair and Edward on the couch when I entered the living room.

I went over to Edward first. "I'm sorry for hissing at Dr. Jamison and cursing, Pop," I whispered, my head bowed.

"I understand, sweet pea. I forgive you," he assured, hugging me gently and kissing my temple. "Just remember not to do it again. Do you hear me?"

I nodded, then shifted my attention to Carlisle. "I apologize for what I did. I guess that I'm not your favorite sister anymore, huh?" I questioned gloomily with an attempt at humor.

"Nonsense, my dear. You will always be my favorite sister," he chuckled. Then he embraced me. "And I forgive you, you little troublemaker," he added lovingly, kissing me on the cheek.

I smiled and cuddled him.

**Carlisle's POV**

Esme prepared Bella's dinner after she had apologized to us. Then Bella went to her room to finish her homework. By seven o'clock, she had joined everyone in the living room once again.

No one did very much until 7:40, when I had to get ready to leave for the hospital. When I was situated, I bid my family good-bye and told them to behave.

"You too, Bellissima," I joked with a grin.

She rolled her eyes at me but nodded. "Go save a life for us," she proclaimed, returning the smile.

"I will certainly try to. See you tomorrow, kids."

They waved and Bella left to go to her room.

I was just about to open the door when Emmett called me.

"Hey, Dad," he announced.

"Yes, Emmett?" I asked.

He smirked. "Your mate has quite a mouth on her, doesn't she?" he inquired, waggling his eyebrows and winking.

"EMMETT!" everyone shouted in annoyance and disgust.

Rosalie smacked him on the head.

"OW!" Emmett bellowed.

**(A/N: _PLEASE REVIEW!_ Did you like it? Bella is getting herself into a fair bit of trouble, isn't she? Stay tuned for chapter 12 part 2! Hopefully it will be up soon.)**


	14. Chapter 12 part 2: The Realization

(A/N: Kudos to **Phoenixhp5t3 **and **TM Twilight Girl**, who helped me with figuring out how to write one of the scenes for this chapter. Thank you so much!

Warning! Non-sexual teenage spanking! Don't like, don't read a certain part, but this chapter is important. So please read. Sorry I haven't update in a long time. By the way, how do you like my new pen name?)

**Bella's POV**

The next few days passed by quietly and without drama. Having my TV privileges taken away actually did not bring the intended effect that it was supposed to. Since I was still mostly too depressed to do much of anything, it did not truly matter that Esme had removed my TV and DVD/VCR player from my bedroom. I wouldn't have likely decided to watch anything anyway, except a movie, which I did not do often.

Edward and Esme monitored my behavior at home and at school (via Alice's visions) during those three days. They let their guard down, however, when I did not show one indication of rebellion. This seemed to half please and half worry them.

"Bella really _isn't_ like most teenagers," I overheard Esme saying to Carlisle. "If she were like most of them, she would have been furious with me for taking her TV away, especially when she had just gotten it."

"That is very true. She has been very quiet since Monday night. Then again, Bella almost never acts like a teenager in general. She is likely accepting her punishment, knowing that she deserves it; I am certain that she is smart enough to know when she is in the wrong," Carlisle pointed out morosely.

"So am I. Bella very nearly rebelled though, when I told her that she would receive a spanking. She was angry, but I did not allow her to say anything when she opened her mouth to complain," Esme remarked.

Carlisle gave a small chuckle. "Oh, she did, did she? Perhaps that is because she had rarely been spanked, if ever. But I don't think that has ever received one in her life-"

Well, he was correct. I _never_ did. I usually didn't get into trouble; trouble found me often enough.

"-And of course, that surprises me, when you think of it. She is truly kind, polite, obedient, and well-mannered, considering that she has practically raised herself-"

I was unable to prevent myself from grinning when he said this.

"-However, I do wonder where she had learned to talk like that," he concluded with another laugh.

Esme snorted. "Probably from school or movies. I don't believe that her parents and her stepfather used that kind of language around her."

"Or maybe she had learned it from you when you ranted at Alice for buying her those skin-tight clothes," Carlisle teased.

"Be serious, Dad," Esme grumbled.

For the most part, I was still withdrawn from the others, including Carlisle this time. Even with his compliments, and the fact that he told me that I was still his favorite sister, the feeling that he did not want much to do with me any longer remained. This added to my depression, and I stayed in my room more often than before.

Even when my TV was reinstalled on Friday, I did not watch it. I believed that I was undeserving of that present. I did not know why Carlisle didn't just take it back to wherever he bought it. He shouldn't waste his money on a foul-mouthed girl such as myself.

When I had nightmares, Esme or Alice would ask me if I wanted to talk to Carlisle. I always said no. I didn't want to be a burden to him anymore.

Truthfully though, for some odd, unknown reason, keeping away from him felt horribly _wrong_. I couldn't understand why. But perhaps it was just because of my obsession with him, and the fact that he was the only one who really understood me.

Also, it seemed as if Carlisle was taking the fact that I was avoiding him personal. Sometimes, when I happened to be near him, he would open his mouth to say something. But he never did, just closed it and turned away. I didn't understand why he wouldn't just spit whatever it was out and talk to me. However, it was probably best that he didn't. Whatever he said would have likely hurt my feelings anyway.

**Carlisle's POV**

I was very concerned. Since Bella had gotten in trouble on Monday, she had been avoiding everyone, including me. This was unusual; she would at least talk to me when she did not speak to the others. She did not tell me anything about having nightmares, although Esme had. I was hurt and upset when she told me that Bella would not let her call me. Why did Bella not want to speak to me?

I asked Alice on Wednesday if something was the matter, she was a little hesitant to respond.

"She's beating herself up. She thinks that you don't want to be around her anymore because of what she did," she mumbled.

My jaw dropped as I frowned in confusion. "Why? She knows that I forgave her. Edward and Esme had as well," I pointed out.

Alice nodded. "Yes, I know, but I guess that it's in her nature to dwell on things," she stated.

I pursed my lips. "Maybe," I whispered.

Over the next two days, I tried to have a conversation with Bella. However, my attempts were thwarted. She kept to her room almost all of the time, except for when she had dinner. By then, I had gone to work. On both days, she had received a pile of homework, and was not finished with it until after I had left.

If there was an off chance that Bella and I were in the same room, I would try to speak to her then. However, she never appeared to be in the mood to talk, so I left her alone.

When I had returned to the apartment before dawn on Saturday morning, Esme was waiting for me in the living room. Her head was drooping onto her hand. She looked thirsty and worn out at the same time.

"Hi sweetie. Are you okay?" I queried in concern.

"No," she replied. "Bella was up all night...she had another nightmare."

My brow furrowed. "Well, why didn't you call me?" I demanded, but not angrily or unkindly.

Esme squirmed timidly.

I exhaled deeply and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Bella asked you not to call me again?" I sighed.

She nodded, looking as if she wanted to cry. "And I am really worried. She has been very depressed this lately, and she's not getting enough sleep. I am so afraid that she is going to become ill."

I hugged her tightly. "It will be all right. I will try to see if I can speak to her and break through her shell. Why don't you hunt? It may make you feel better."

Embracing me, Esme whispered, "If anyone can get through to her, you can. I will see you tonight."

"Okay, my dear. I love you."

"I love you too, Daddy. Good luck."

"Thank you."

She left the apartment. I slumped into my armchair and pinched the bridge of my nose. _How was I going to do this?_ I thought.

Considering that Bella was not going to make the first move, I would have to go to her instead. I just had to figure out a way to do it. I had to be gentle and patient with her; I did not want her to distance herself from me even more. If she did, it would break my heart.

I pondered this for a while until I decided on making her breakfast in bed. It seemed like a good idea. I would make her favorite; blueberry Belgium waffles with orange juice. Perhaps that will entice her.

After agreeing on this, I kept myself busy with paperwork until eight o'clock, then cooked Bella's breakfast. I heard her stirring just as I had finished.

_Right on time. Here goes nothing_, I sighed as I headed for her room. I knocked on the door while balancing a tray in one hand.

"...Who is it?" Bella called.

"It's Carlisle, sweetie. May I come in? I prepared your favorite breakfast," I responded.

It was quiet for moment, and I was afraid that she would say no. To my relief, she grunted, "Okay."

**Bella's POV**

I adjusted my robe as the door opened. Carlisle entered the bedroom, holding a tray of blueberry Belgium waffles and orange juice. There was also a tiny, thin vase with a rose in it.

A rose! Carlisle was just too fucking adorable!

"Good morning," he declared with a half smile. He offered me the tray. "You must be hungry."

"Morning," I greeted, taking it from him. "Thank you."

He nodded. "You are welcome. Do you mind if I sit here? I would like to have a talk with you, if you are willing?" he inquired, pointing to the armchair.

I shrugged. "No...go ahead," I stated.

"How are you?"

"I'm fine, I suppose. What about you?"

"Not too bad."

Carlisle made himself comfortable as I started to eat. He did not begin a conversation right then. He waited until I was done with my meal. I thanked him once more and set the tray on my desk. Afterwards, he perched in the armchair again and patted his lap.

"Come over here and sit with me, please," he requested.

Tentatively, I did, unable to refuse him. He slid his arms around me and kissed my temple. "Bella, why have you been keeping away from us this past week?" he queried, going straight to the point.

I bowed my head dejectedly. "Because I know that you still have to be upset with me for what I said about Dr. Jamison. I figured that you didn't want to be around me or speak to me very often anymore, since I have such a nasty mouth. I decided that it was best to keep out of your way. I didn't want to be a burden. You must hate me for what I did. You probably think that nobody raised me and that I'm not a good person at all," I mumbled.

He placed his hand under my chin and made me look at him. "That is not true, sweetheart. Why would you ever think of such a thing? I had forgiven you, have I not?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Of course. And I knew that you meant it when you told me that you were sorry, so why should I be angry with you?"

"I...I don't know."

Carlisle beamed. "Exactly. Furthermore, I could _never_ hate you, no matter what you do-even if it was something terrible. I will always, _always_ love you. Always. I do not think that you are a burden, or bad person. If I may say so, you are a very kind, sweet, smart, selfless, and loving person. You always care more about others than you do of yourself. I am proud to have you as my little sister. Not many people are like that, even the ones I know. Except for a few friends and my family, that is."

I had to smile.

Kissing my cheek, he whispered, "Also, I did not like it when you were avoiding us. You have been so depressed lately and we are terribly worried about you."

I lowered my head once more. "A part of the reason why I've been depressed is because I thought that you were angry with me," I mumbled.

He embraced me fiercely. "I was never angry with you. I was disappointed in your behavior, yes, but not with you. But I am not disappointed any longer. You could have came to me and told me how you felt," he remarked in a gentle voice.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"It is all right, my dear. But please, if something is bothering you, I would like you to tell us. Please don't avoid us anymore. I missed you this week. You have no idea how much. And you know that you can always tell me anything if you can't tell anybody else."

Grinning, I said, "I will keep that in mind, and I missed you too." I really had. "So, I guess that you weren't lying when you told me that I am still your favorite sister?"

He chuckled and pulled me into him. "Of course not, Bella. As I have asked you before, have I ever lied to you? Would I ever?"

I shook my head and smiled again.

Carlisle tapped my nose. "That's right. I never will, even if I wanted to, which I hope does not happen."

Snuggling into him, I whispered, "I apologize for not bringing this up sooner."

"Don't worry about it. Everything is resolved now. But remember what I told you."

"I will. I'll try hard to behave around Dr. Jamison too."

"Marvelous."

We clung to each other for a while, then I leaned upwards to give Carlisle a kiss on the cheek. "I'm going to take a shower now," I proclaimed.

"All right. I'll take care of your dishes. Once you are dressed, we could watch a movie, if you like. Unless you have something else in mind?" he inquired.

I climbed off of him. "We'll think of something. I'll see you in a minute."

He left the room with my tray. I washed up and dressed before going to the living room. Carlisle was there, flipping through channels. I plopped onto the seat next to him and leaned on him. It made me feel better to know that everything was okay between us.

Carlisle wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "Hello again," he murmured, holding me close.

I giggled. "Hi. So, what are we still going to watch a movie?" I questioned, inhaling his tantalizing (?) aroma.

"Of course, if you want to. Why don't I pick one out? One that we both like?"

"That's fine."

We watched a couple before I had lunch. Afterwards, Carlisle and I played some video games on Jasper's Playstation 2. We had a lot of fun, teasing and joking, and trying to mess each other up. Time passed by quickly, and before I knew it, it was dark outside and time for dinner. I had just finished eating when Esme showed up.

She gaped at me in astonishment as she walked into the kitchen. Perhaps she thought that I was still moping in my room. A moment later, she smiled. "Hi Bella. I'm happy to see that you are better," she observed.

I chortled. "I feel better," I noted. "How are you? Did you have a nice hunt?"

Esme bobbed her head and embraced me. "I am great, knowing that you are not as depressed as you have been this past week," she mumbled, kissing me on the temple.

I pursed my lips, feeling somewhat guilty. I could tell now that I had really worried her.

Both Carlisle and I washed the dishes as Esme relaxed on the sofa. When they were all stacked up in the cabinets, we watched TV until I became sleepy.

"Let's go, my dear. Time for bed," Carlisle murmured, picking me up bridle-style. He carried me to my room and left so that I could change into my nightclothes. He and Esme came back to tuck me in.

"Good-night, baby girl," Esme whispered, kissing my forehead.

"Sweet dreams," Carlisle added. "I am going for a hunt, but I will return before dawn. Call me if you need me for anything." He shot both me and Esme a pointed look.

We nodded, and he pecked me on the cheek.

"I love you, my dear. See you tomorrow."

"I love you too, Carlisle. I love you, Mom." I had taken to calling her that now (and Edward "Pop" and "Dad"), and she adored it. Nevertheless, they could never replace my real parents, but I loved them both as much as I did them.

Hugging me tightly, she cooed, "I love you too, baby."

Carlisle embraced me, then flicked off the lights. He and Esme bid me good-night one more time and walked out of the room.

**Carlisle's POV**

Now that it was clear to Bella that I was not angry with her, she was a little more cheerful. She was still depressed, though, but this was expected. I knew that she was missing her parents and stepfather.

It was now the beginning of second week of October. There was no doubt that there was barely a chance that they were alive. I would be very astonished if they were. I knew not to tell Bella this. I did not want to make her sadder than she was already. It overwhelmed me enough to see her so brokenhearted.

Marlene called me on Monday, wanting to know if she could visit the following afternoon. I was going to say no at first, as I did last Thursday. I did not want Bella to start any more trouble. Marlene could catch her this time. However, Bella did not have to be in the same room when she did come over. She would understand it if I told her that the conversation had to be private.

"Yes, you may visit me. I am not going to be doing anything important," I remarked.

"Okay, thanks. I will see you soon. Bye-bye," Marlene declared too enthusiastically.

"No problem. Good-bye," I stated before hanging up.

I let everyone know that she was coming, just in case they had decided to visit. They nodded, but Bella did not look too happy. This was expected, however.

I grinned at her. "You may do your homework in your bedroom this time. I know that she makes you feel a little uncomfortable," I pointed out.

She sighed in relief and nodded.

(Next day)

It was four thirty when Marlene arrived. My children were at their own houses, so Bella and I were the only ones in the apartment.

When Marlene knocked on the door, Bella had already made herself scarce. I opened it to let her in.

"Good afternoon," I proclaimed softly.

"Hi Carlisle," she greeted, hugging me. I wished that she would not do that. I allowed it to be polite, of course, but it made me feel uneasy.

I patted her back lightly. "How are you?" I inquired.

She drew away. "I'm fine, and you."

"Ah. Same here."

We exchanged some more pleasantries, then sat down in the kitchen. I offered her something to drink, but she did not want one.

"So, is there any news?" I queried a moment later.

Drooping in her chair, she shook her head. "No, not yet, but hopefully we will eventually."

I exhaled deeply and ran my fingers through my hair. "I do not understand. It has been weeks," I groaned.

Marlene was sympathetic. "I know how you feel, but some things take time."

I just nodded.

She did not remain for very long. Before I knew it, she was preparing to go home. She asked me if she could visit again on Thursday and I said yes.

As we were bidding each other farewell, Marlene took my hand. "That Saturday lunch date is still up for grabs if you are considering it. I...I really like you, and I would like to go out for you just once. To see where things would go, of course. You are a really nice guy," she added, peeking at me from under her eyelashes.

Besides the last time she asked me out on a date, this would not be the first time that anyone has. Nevertheless, it did not make it any less awkward or uncomfortable as it had before. The only person who I would ever want to go out with was Bella, and I had to wait a few years to do that.

I grinned politely, although I was secretly annoyed. "Uh...well, thank you for the compliment. But I will not be able to. I have to babysit Bella again this weekend. I am sorry," I apologized.

"Oh, really? Babysitting again?" She rose an eyebrow flirtatiously.

"Yes."

She cocked her head to the side. "Well, then why don't I come over here to have lunch?"

Pursing my lips, I exhaled deeply. "I will think about it and see. That, however, does not mean that I have made a choice."

Marlene nodded in understanding. "That sounds reasonable. So, I will meet you here on Thursday?"

I inclined my head in return. "Certainly."

She waved good-bye, then left the apartment.

**Bella's POV**

Even though Carlisle did not know it, I was half listening to everything that he and Marlene were talking about. I felt (strangely) upset that she would ask him out again. Could she not hear from his tone of voice that he really didn't want to? Why did she keep bothering him about it? Was it not obvious to her that persistence was exasperating him, as it was to me?

I was seriously contemplating on whether or not I should tell her off when I remembered what happened last Monday. No. It would be advisable not to. I had no desire to end up in more trouble.

_Be a good girl. Be a good girl_, I said to myself imploringly.

But being a good girl would prove to be much harder than I thought. Too hard, actually...

(Thursday morning)

I had just finished eating breakfast, and was getting ready to wash my dishes, when Carlisle stopped me.

"Hold on a minute, sweetheart. I need to have a talk with you. I will not be long," he stated.

Nodding, I lowered myself back into my chair. "Okay. What's up?" I queried.

Carlisle laid his paperwork aside and bent forward. "Doctor Jamison is coming here for another visit. I was wondering if you could do me a favor and go over to Edward and Esme's house after school? Afterwards, I will pick you and Esme up and bring you back here before I go to work. Doctor Jamison and I are going to have a another private talk," he announced.

I scowled in confusion. Why did he want to send me away? Had he found out about what I was thinking of doing on Tuesday? Or had Marlene finally gotten him to agree to a date? The latter idea made me feel angry and sick to my stomach. "Yeah, I could go over their house," I replied slowly. "But why? Did I do something wrong the other day when Dr. Jamison was here, and you don't want me here when she is anymore?"

He blinked. "Of course you haven't, my dear. As I told you before, I know that you are uncomfortable when she is around. I only want to make the situation easier for you. Besides, I know that Edward and Esme would like to spend time with you. Why don't you hang out with them for a while? They will be glad to see you," he murmured, smiling softly.

Reassured, I nodded with a grin. "It wouldn't hurt to go over their house, I suppose. But what about Edward? Won't it be difficult for him to be near me?" I queried.

"Well, if he has any trouble, I am sure that he will manage to control himself. But he does not want to harm you, so if he is afraid that he will slip, he will get away before it is too late. And anyway, you won't have to stay at Edward and Esme's for long. Dr. Jamison isn't likely to visit for more than an hour at the most," Carlisle pointed out.

"Mmm," I whispered.

Carlisle laid his hand on mine. Electricity zinged through it again. Why did that keep happening?! "Don't worry. Everything will be fine. But you know to call me if anything goes wrong," he stated.

"Yes, I know."

He kissed my palm before tapping my nose. "All right, sweet girl. I am done with our talk. You had better prepare to leave for school now. It is 7:30."

I went to get my book bag, then returned to the kitchen. "See you soon, Carlisle. I love you," I mumbled, embracing him and kissing his cheek.

He wrapped his arms around me and pecked my forehead. "I love you more, Bella. Have a nice day at school, and be good," he admonished.

"You know that I will," I chuckled.

We gave each other one more hug and I left for school.

Time passed by quickly while I was at Oakland, and before I knew it, I was walking to Edward and Esme's house. It had been a good day at school, but I was elated that it was over all the same.

The journey to their place did not take long; they only lived two blocks away from Carlisle's apartment. Their house was beautiful. A nice, earthy brown. The windows had wide, white frames. There was also a porch on the first floor roof with a low wall around it. All over it were flowers in pots that Esme had planted in the spring and summer, before I had met them. She loved gardening.

I knocked on the door. Esme opened it a second later. "Well, isn't this a surprise! Hi there, Bella baby," she exclaimed, beaming brightly.

"Hey, Mom," I greeted with a smile, wrapping my arms around her and giving her a kiss. She kissed me on the cheek, then let me in.

Edward was reading a book, but stood up as I approached him. "Hello, sweet pea. How was school?" he inquired, pecking me forehead.

"Hi Dad. Same as always. School," I laughed.

He chuckled and patted my back. "I know what you mean. Well, I am certain that you would like to get started on your homework right away, so you may do it if you want," he declared.

I inclined my head at him. "Thank you."

Because it was sunny and not too windy outside, I did my homework on the porch. Esme came out-holding an umbrella to shield herself from the sun-with a plate of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies and a jug of lemonade on a tray. Then she embraced me from behind and kissed me on the cheek over and over. I had to laugh.

I swear, there were times when I had to admit to myself that she was more of a mother to me than Mom was.

I thanked her before turning my attention back to my Chemistry assignment, munching on my cookies with relish. It took a long while to finish the rest of my homework. When I had, I put my books in my backpack. Glancing around, I noticed that it was almost dark outside. The porch's lights had been turned on without my noticing. I checked my watch; it was a little after 7:30. I was surprised that Carlisle hadn't come to pick me up yet. Perhaps he was busy having that talk with Marlene.

With a sigh, I leaned back in my chair and decided to wait. However, I did not have to for long. No more than ten minutes later, I heard them talking in the alleyway to the left side of the house...

**Carlisle's POV**

_5:00pm_**  
**

I was in the middle of a TV program when somebody rapped on door. I answered it, knowing that it was Marlene.

"Hi Carlisle," she proclaimed as she entered the apartment.

"Good afternoon. I trust that your day was productive," I murmured with a half-hearted smile.

"Yes, it was. How was yours?" she questioned.

"It was super. I was mostly busy with paperwork this morning, but it is all out of the way now. I usually finish everything before noon or one in the afternoon," I responded, lying a little. Truthfully, it did not take me that long. With my vampire speed, I would be finished before eight thirty or nine o'clock in the morning, depending on the stack.

Marlene nodded in understanding. "I know what you mean. Paperwork does take quite a while to do. Should I give you my update now?"

I bobbed my head. "Of course you may. We may sit in the living room. Are you thirsty?"

She grinned. "I suppose that a cup of juice wouldn't hurt."

I made my way over to the refrigerator. "Juice it is. What kind would you like? We have apple, orange, and grape."

"Apple will be fine."

Once I had given Marlene her juice, we went straight to business. Sadly, Bella's parents had still not been found, but she told me that people were being found every day.

"It will only be a matter of time before they are found as well," she added.

"That is true," I said.

She stayed for a bit longer, filling out a miniature pile of documents as I read the newspaper. When I chanced to look at a clock, I saw that it was 7:25. I realized that I had yet to pick Bella and Esme up before I left for the hospital.

I rose to my feet hastily. "Marlene, I am sorry. I'm afraid that I have to go. I had forgotten to pick up my daughter Esme and Bella. They are going to help watch the place for me while I am at Lenox Hill," I lied.

Marlene smiled widely. "That is kind of them to do that for you," she remarked, putting on her jacket and following me out of the apartment. "May I go with you to wherever you are going?"

"Certainly. I am picking them up from her-Esme's-house. It is only two blocks away."

"Do you mind if we talk on the way? There was something that I wanted to speak you about."

I sighed internally with exasperation, but outwardly, I grinned a little and nodded. "All right." There was no point in delaying the inevitable.

Sure enough, just as we were about to cut through an alleyway to the left of Edward and Esme's house, she held out her hand. "Let's talk here," she declared.

I nodded once more. "Okay," I muttered.

Marlene cocked her head to the side. "Have you come to a decision? About the lunch date, I mean?" she inquired in a low voice.

I exhaled deeply. I might as well tell her now. "Yes, I have..." I began.

"And...?" she drew out the word eagerly.

"I am afraid that I have to say no," I concluded.

She slumped. "But why? Don't you like me?" she queried pleadingly.

I groaned inwardly. I had not wanted the conversation to go this way. "Yes, I do like you, but not in the way that you like me."

Marlene was silent for a moment, her jaw working. "Is there someone else? Is that why you don't want to date me?" she asked quietly.

Well, of course there was, but I couldn't tell her that. There would be trouble if I had. "No, there is not. To be honest, I am not interested in dating right now," I implied.

She glowered at me. "You haven't been interested in dating for the last six years!" Marlene pointed out.

"That is true, I have not."

"Well, why?!"

"I haven't found the right one yet. In addition to that, I have been dedicated to looking after my children. And now I am helping Edward and Esme take care of Bella. I am not saying that they are not good at looking after her, but they need assistance at times."

**Bella's POV**

_Continuing from her last POV_**  
**

"Let's talk here," I heard Marlene say lowly._  
_

Then Carlisle's voice drifted up to me. "Okay," he mumbled. What sounded like dread underlined his tone.

"Have you come to a decision? About the lunch date, I mean?" she half whispered.

Lunch date?! What fucking lunch date?! She had no right to ask out _my_ brother when he did not care for her in that way!

Carlisle sighed wearily. "Yes, I have..." he replied.

"And...?" Marlene prodded with excitement.

"I am afraid that I have to say no," he stated.

For some unknown reason, I was overjoyed about this.

"But why? Don't you like me?" Marlene inquired in a crestfallen voice.

I tiptoed over to the wall and bent down, peering over it discreetly.

Carlisle was standing in the alleyway. His back was facing me. Marlene was in front of him.

"Yes, I do like you, but not in the way that you like me," Carlisle remarked plainly.

_Dumb tramp_, I added to myself, making sure that I did not say it aloud this time. Thankfully, I didn't.

Marlene eyed him shrewdly. After a minute, she questioned, "Is there someone else? Is that why you don't want to date me?"

"No, there is not. To be honest, I am not interested in dating right now," he sighed.

She scowled at him in fury. "You haven't been interested in dating for the last six years!" she hissed.

"That is true, I have not."

"Well, why?!"

"I haven't found the right one yet. In addition to that, I have been dedicated to looking after my children. And now I am helping Edward and Esme take care of Bella. I am not saying that they are not good at looking after her, but they need assistance at times."

This statement caused me to frown in great bewilderment. That was almost exactly what Carlisle had said to me when I had first met him. Then, after I had asked him if he had found his soul mate, he said that it was too personal to talk about. Which, of course, led me to wonder if he did not-I had a feeling that he did. And yet, here he was, saying that he hadn't "found the right one" again.

Or was he just lying?

Marlene was now trembling, she was so upset. "That is all well and good, and I'm not saying that it isn't. But how could you not like me? I have slipped you hints for the last six years! I have always helped you when you needed it! _Always_! You can't just deny me like this!" she hissed again.

Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose. "Please, Marlene, do not fly off the handle. You are blowing everything out of proportion. Yes, you have helped me, and you have no idea how truly grateful I am to you. And yes, you have given me indications of your feelings for me. That is also true. However, I cannot reciprocate them, as I do not feel the same way. I am really sorry that I have to deny you, but there is nothing I can do if I do not feel anything for you, other than friendship. I hope that you understand."

When she did not comment on this, he turned away from her and started to walk down the alley.

Then, Marlene's face crumpled and she lunged forward. She swung her hand back, which was clenched in a fist.

Rage like I had never felt before consumed me, all the way down to the marrow of my bones. _There was **no fucking way** that she was going to hit Carlisle, **my** big brother! Especially when his back was turned! How DARE she?!  
_

Without thinking, without planning to do it, I snatched up a rock that was the size of half a boulder from one of Esme's flowerpots. I threw it with immense force, and it landed on the right side of Marlene's forehead.

"ARRRRRRRRRGH!" she shouted as I hid behind the wall, smirking in glee and satisfaction. Ha-ha! Take that bitch!

"Marlene! What happened?!" Carlisle demanded in frantic concern.

There was a sob. "I don't know! All I know is that I was hit by something!" she wailed.

"Oh, my God. Your head is bleeding profusely. Let me take a look at it...My God. This wound is going to need stitches. Let's go, I'm taking you to the hospital! I'll use my jacket to stem the blood flow!" he announced.

"B-But what about your daughter and your sister?" Marlene protested as their voices and footsteps faded.

"I will call Esme and ask her to take Bella to my apartment on the way there..."

Seconds later, they were gone. I was still huddled against the wall when Edward charged out of the house. His eyes were pitch black, and his teeth were bared in utmost anger.

I cringed in fear as he towered over me. I had no doubt that he knew what I had just did. It was clear that Alice had told him. I was in my trouble than I had ever been in my life.

"Isabella Marie Cullen, get off of that floor this instant," he ordered through clenched teeth.

When I did, quiveringly, he took my arm and turned me to the side.

_Swat! Swat! Swat! Swat! Swat! Swat! Swat!_

"Ahhh!" I cried out in surprise. Did...Did he just _spank_ me?!

"Isabella Marie, I cannot _believe_ what I had saw through Alice's vision! I am extremely disappointed in you! I am surprised that neither Carlisle nor Dr. Jamison saw you. Gather your things right now. You and I are going to the apartment, and when Carlisle returns, we are going to have a talk," Edward hissed.

I rubbed my stinging behind as I picked up my book bag. Tears welled up in my eyes as I followed him out of the house and through the alleyway. _Oh man,_ I thought. _I am really in deep shit now. Carlisle will definitely hate me after he finds out what I have done! He really won't want to have anything to do with me anymore! Nobody in our family will, especially Edward and Esme! They will hate me too and send me to Social Services to place me in an adoption center. Ohhhhh, why did I have to lose my temper and throw a rock at his friend?  
_

_But if you hadn't, then Marlene would have hit him. And if she had, Carlisle would have been found out; She would have hurt herself, after all_, a voice in my head pointed out.

That was true, but still. I shouldn't have done that. I could have just warned him about what she was about to do.

My thoughts were interrupted as we entered the apartment building. Edward and I climbed the stairs. It wasn't until we were in Carlisle's family room that I realized that Esme wasn't with us.

"Uh...D-Dad? W-Where's Esme?" I squeaked tentatively.

"She went to the mall to get something," he responded shortly.

I bowed my head. "Oh. D-Dad, I'm so sorry. I really am. Please don't hate me, I really am sorry!" I whimpered, melting into tears.

Edward's face softened as he reached out to hug me. "Bella, I do not hate you. I could _never_ hate you, my daughter. But I _am_ disappointed in your behavior. Go to your room, please, and wait for me there. I am very angry and upset, and I need to calm down. Plus, I need to call Esme and tell her what happened. I will also have to inform Carlisle of this when he comes back.

I gulped with dread, but nodded, knowing that it was wise to obey him. I put my backpack in the closet and rushed to my room. After closing the door, I laid face-down on my bed and wept with shame.

**Carlisle's POV**

We made it to Lenox Hill-thankfully-in less than twenty minutes. She was still bleeding, but not as much as before. Still, she had lost quite a bit of blood. Marlene was admitted right away. I sat down in the waiting area, rubbing my temples.

I still could not understand what happened, except that she was hit on the forehead by some unknown object when I was not looking. The only thing I knew was that as I was walking away from Marlene, she was suddenly screaming. Luckily, I was able to use my jacket to prevent her from bleeding too much. I was relieved that we made it to that hospital when we did.**  
**

As I mulled over this, my cell phone vibrated in my pocket. I took it out and flipped it open. There was a text message from Edward.

_Dad, when you get home, we need to talk. It's very important-E_

Frowning, I sent a reply immediately._  
_

_All right, Edward, but what is going on?-C_

_I will tell you when I see you. I promise-E  
_

_Okay, but I will hold you to your promise. Do you understand me?-C  
_

_Yes, Father-E  
_

It was more than an hour later when I was granted permission to see Marlene. Sighing, I made me way up to room 303.

Marlene was perched on the bed with a dejected look on her face.

"Hi," I greeted softly. "How is your head feeling?"

"Painful, but Dr. Xavier gave me some Tylenol, so I will be fine," she whispered. "I had to get some more blood...and nine stitches."

My jaw dropped in stunned incredulity as she showed them to me. Nine stitches! Her head must have been hit with considerable force.

Pursing my lips, I murmured, "I am sorry, Marlene. I wish that I knew how it happened. Would you like me to take you home?"

She smiled tiredly. "No, thank you, Carlisle. I had just called my sister. She's on her way to pick me up now," she responded.

"Okay. Be careful, then. Don't forget to let someone know if you experience any dizziness or fainting spells," I warned.

"I know. Oh...here's your jacket," Marlene stated.

I waved my hand. "That's all right. You can dispose of it. I was going to buy a new one anyway."

Marlene's brow furrowed. "Are you sure?"

I nodded. "Well, let me walk you down to the lobby. I will sit with you until your sister comes."

"Thank you. That would be nice."

Her sister arrived not long afterwards and I headed home.

**Bella's POV**

_Picking up from the last POV_**  
**

As I laid there crying with my face buried in my pillow, I heard Edward call Esme. He spoke in a quiet voice, though, so there was no knowing what he said.

Minutes later, I heard the apartment's door open.

"Where is Bella?" Esme inquired tersely.

There was no audible reply, but a second later, there was a knock on my door.

"Come in," I muttered.

Esme entered the room. "Isabella, I want you to please sit up right now," she declared sternly.

I did so, but kept my eyes on my knees.

"Look at me, please," Esme requested.

I refused to, not wanting to see the anger and disappointment in her face.

"_Now_, Isabella. I will not ask you to do so again."

With a internal groan, I raised my eyes to hers.

Esme was sitting in a chair before the bed. Her eyes were hard and her arms were crossed. Edward was next to her. I had never seen her this cross before. "I do not understand what has gotten into you lately, Isabella Marie Cullen, but this behavior is inexcusable, and it will _not_ be tolerated. I do not know why you threw that rock at Dr. Jamison, but you had better tell me why _this instant_. What the hell possessed you to do such a thing?! I would never have believed it of you, Isabella! I am thoroughly ashamed of you! I said, start talking," she ordered.

The rage that I had felt earlier swelled inside of me as I began to speak. "I did to protect Carlisle!" I admitted.

Edward frowned, and so did Esme. "What do you mean, you did it to protect Carlisle?" she demanded.

"Dr. Jamison was going to punch him when he wasn't looking! And if she had, you know what would have happened...!"

"I understand that, but what you did what still unjustifiable..." Esme remarked.

I bolted to my feet. "I DON'T CARE! I wasn't going to allow her to hit MY brother! She felt that just because he wouldn't go on a date with her that she had a right to hit him! Well, I wasn't going to let her do it! I WON'T let _anyone_ try to hurt MY brother! NOBODY is going to try to hurt MY brother when I'm around! Do you hear me?! NOBODY!" I ranted.

They gaped at me, their eyes and mouths wide. Their stunned expressions caused me to pull back and notice what I had just said.

What the hell was wrong with me? Why was I getting so overly defensive? And what was with all this _my_ brother business? Like when Marlene hugged Carlisle, or when she asked him to go out with her? And when she tried to punch him?

"_You really **are** observant, Bella,_" I remembered Esme saying to me the day I returned from the hospital weeks ago. "_Well, to put it simply, vampires get very defensive and territorial when it comes to sticking up for their..._"

With a gasp, I plopped down onto my bed.

No way. No way!

Was I acting like this because Carlisle was my _soul mate_?! He couldn't be!

However, somehow, I knew in my heart that he was. After all, I was drawn to him from second I laid my eyes on him, like Carlisle said happened when vampires met their soul mate.

Oh, this explained _everything_! Everything was all so apparent now! My infatuation and obsession with him. The electric that charged through my skin when his came in contact with mine. The fact that he was the one who truly understood me. Why I understood him. The fact that he was the only one who could really comfort me and make me fall asleep. Why Carlisle spoiled the shit out of me. Why I could not refuse him, no matter how much I disagreed with him. Why I wanted to be around him all of the time. Why I shared his moods, no matter what they were. Be it happy, sad, or angry. Why I felt warm inside every time he said that he loved me. Why I was closer to him than anyone else in the family.

Also, I understood why I didn't like it when Marlene flirted with him. Or when she hugged him, flirted with him, or asked him out. I...I was _jealous_! Of all things! Jealous! The idea of it was both enlightening and hilarious at the same time. Then again, why wouldn't I be jealous? Him being my true other half, I wouldn't want him to be with someone else.

Nonetheless, I didn't have to worry about this. Carlisle did not want to be with anyone else either. He would only want to be with me, but he had to wait. But he was patient, so this wouldn't be hard for him.

Suddenly, another thing was brought to light. When Esme asked if I met any boys after my first day of school, Carlisle had a funny glint in his eyes. He had even became tense. Now that I really thought about it, he looked almost _envious_ at the thought of my meeting any.

That Carlisle was my soul mate was the reason why Alice sent him to save me. This was the reason why I was so important to our family.

And Carlisle _knew_ it. He _knew_ that I was his true other half! Everyone did. It was no wonder that he did not want to tell me when I asked him whether he found his soul mate. It was also no wonder he said that it was "too personal to discuss." He thought that I was too young to know, which was understandable. I was not old enough to have a romantic relationship with him. Not yet, anyway.

Well, this clarified why he never grew tired of me. If I wasn't his mate, he would have definitely thought that I was a pesky teenager. He truly did like me to be around him.

And the presents! This explained why he gave me so many of them! He meant it when he would give me the "whole wide world."

And...oh my God! _This_ was why Carlisle didn't adopt me! He wouldn't even consider himself my adoptive grandfather. He willingly chose to be my older brother, so that when I was of age, it wouldn't be wrong for us to be together! He really _did_ mean it when he said that he would consider marrying me! And I believed that he thought that I was joking, and that he wasn't taking me seriously. He really _was_ touched when I told him I would marry him, even if was just to keep him company. However, it would be strange. When I marry Carlisle, I will be _Edward and Esme's mother_, as well as Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie's!

I placed my head in my hands as all of these realizations whirred through my brain. Oh my God. Oh my God. This was all too shocking, startling, and overwhelming.

Carlisle was my soul mate! Oh my God!

Suddenly, I felt terrible. What would he do when he learned of what I did to his friend? Would he be furious with me? Disappointed? My heart clenched at the thought of it. If he was either, I didn't know what would do!

I had to be the worse soul mate in the world to do something like this to him! What kind of maniac was I?

"Bella? Honey, are you okay? What's wrong?" Esme queried urgently.

I jumped and looked up. I had forgotten that she and Edward were there. They were still looking a bit surprised. "N-Nothing. I'm sorry for yelling. I didn't mean to. Can you forgive me?" I pleaded.

Hesitantly, Esme nodded. "I will let it go this time, but I won't be so lenient if you do it again." She leaned forward. "I understand that what Dr. Jamison planned to do made you upset. And I can understand why you threw that rock. However, you know that it was wrong. You should have just warned him, and that would have likely stopped Dr. Jamison from hitting him all the same. I never want you to engage in this kind of violence again, or any other kind, no matter what the circumstances are, or the reasons. It will not be tolerated at all. Do you hear me, Isabella?" she questioned sternly.

I nodded morosely. "Yes, Mom," I whispered.

She eyed me intently. "I hope that you do, for you sake. We are not finished with our discussion, and you are going to be punished for this, but we are not sure how. Until we do, you are going to sit here and think about what you have done. When we are ready, we will come back," she stated.

"Yes, Mom," I repeated, and Edward and Esme left the room. After a few minutes, I heard another door open.

**Carlisle's POV**

It took a half hour to get back home. I could smell Edward, Esme, and Bella's scents. I also heard her heartbeat, but otherwise, it was quiet.

When I stepped into the apartment, I found Edward and Esme sitting on the couch. Edward's face was buried in his palm, and Esme's hand was in the crook of his elbow. They both looked angry and disappointed. Something was very wrong.

"What is the matter?" I demanded worriedly.

Edward sighed and held up a plastic Ziploc bag with a rather large black stone in it. "This is what hit Dr. Jamison in the head," he muttered.

I took it, frowning in confusion. What did he want me to do with it?

"Smell the rock, please," he replied to my thoughts.

I slowly opened the bag and sniffed inside of it. The aroma of strawberries and freesia greeted me and I stared at Edward in horror. "Are you saying that Bella was the one who hit Marlene in the head? She hit her with this?"

He finally met my gaze and inclined his head sadly.

"But...why would she do that?"

Esme cleared her throat. "Bella told us that Dr. Jamison was going to hit you when you weren't looking, and that she threw the rock at her to protect you."

I narrowed my eyes. I did not believe them.

Abruptly, my phone rang again with another text message. This one was from Alice.

_It's true, Carlisle. I saw everything in a vision. That was how Edward found out-A_

Groaning in despair, I sat down on my armchair, pinching the bridge of my nose. I did not know what to say or think. I could not believe that Bella was capable of this type of violence.

I remained in this pose for an indefinite amount of time before asking in a low voice, "So, what are you going to do? What are _we_ going to do?"

"We have to talk to her again, and discuss what her punishment will be," Edward replied.

"Yes. But how are we going to punish her?" Esme inquired.

Pursing his lips, he clasped his hands and rested his forehead against them. "I don't know, but it will have to fit the crime. Besides, Dr. Jamison had to get nine stitches."

Esme's jaw dropped. "Nine stitches? _Nine_?!" she gasped.

He nodded.

"You're joking! You cannot be serious!" she hissed, turning to me.

"It is not a joke at all. In addition to that, she had also lost blood, and had to receive more," I implied.

She shook her head in consternation. "We will have to ground Bella. Her TV privileges will be taken away for a week. And after dinner, she will be sent straight to bed for two weeks."

Edward nodded once more in agreement. "Yes. That sounds reasonable."

I coincided with them.

"All right, then. Let us inform her of this..." Edward sighed.

My phone rang, interrupting him. I was receiving a call from Alice.

Before I could even say hello, she spoke. "Put me on speaker, please Carlisle," she requested.

I did so.

"Edward, Esme, do not ground Bella. It's not a good idea at all! She won't forgive herself for what she has done if they do. She will hate herself and believe that she isn't good enough for us, but especially for you Carlisle, even more than she had the last time that she was punished. She'll think that she's a terrible person and becoming withdrawn again. I was right in saying that Bella is one to dwell on things because she won't get over this at all. Simply grounding her will not give her to finality that she needs. I've seen it," she declared._  
_

Dawning comprehension filled Esme's face after several seconds. "One of us will...have to spank her instead then. But...I don't know if I can. I don't know if I will be able to go through with it."

Edward pondered this for a moment. "I will have to do it, then."

I myself was not too happy with the idea. I did not want anyone to hurt Bella. The thought of it made me angry. Nevertheless I understood that it might have to be done.

Alice exhaled deeply. "Yes...that changes things now. Bella will definitely be able to forgive herself and move on if you spank her. She will even work harder to learn to control herself. Oh and before I go, there is something that you need to know, Carlisle," Alice said.

My brow furrowed. "What?" I questioned.

"Bella figured it out," she responded.

I scowled. "Figured out what?"

"That she is your soul mate."

"W-What?! How?!"

Edward and Esme looked as thunderstruck as I felt.

Alice giggled. "Bella realized why she became furious when Marlene tried to hit you. Of course, that led to a chain reaction. She understands now why she feels the way she does for you, among other things. But right now, I don't know what her intentions will be."

Who would have thought that this would happen on top of everything else?

"Okay, well, I have to go now. Everything will be all right. See you soon, guys. Oh, and you can't tell Dr. Jamison what Bella did, Carlisle. It will cause more problems, and you don't want to go there. Trust me," Alice proclaimed.

"Understood. Good-bye, Alice," I returned.

"Thanks again," Esme added.

Alice chuckled one more time, then hang up.

Edward massaged his temples. "Too many things are happening tonight," he whispered.

I had to laugh. "Yes, you are right about that," I agreed.

Then it was silent as he prepared himself for what he was about to do. After a while, he nodded. "Well, it's about time that we went through with this. Bella has waited long enough. Carlisle, why don't you join me? Your presence may be beneficial. And if she won't listen to me, you could help her see reason."

I bobbed my head, even though I somewhat cringed at the idea of it. However, he could be right. "Certainly, Edward."

**Bella's POV**

I was in the middle of brooding over how much trouble I was in when there was another knock on the door. Gulping nervously, I told them to come in.

To my surprise and horror, Carlisle walked into the room, along with Edward. They had brought in the chairs once more, so I knew that we were going to have quite a talk.

Another wave of shame and guilt flowed through me and I became very interested in the floor.

"Bella, please look at me," Edward commanded, but not ungently.

I tentatively obeyed. He still looked disappointed, but he did not seem to be angry any longer. Nor did Esme. Carlisle-my mate! I was still reeling over it-did not appear to be either. His eyes held sadness, though. My heart ached just to peer into them.

Edward cleared his throat, causing me to shift my attention back to him. "As you know, Bella, what you did to Dr. Jamison was inexcusable and intolerable. And as Esme had told you, we do not condone violence of any kind in this family. It does not matter what the reasons are at all. I speak from experience because Carlisle had to bring me up short on my behavior plenty of times," he stated. He leaned back. "Dad? Could you tell Bella what happened to Dr. Jamison, please?"

Carlisle bent forward, took my hands in his, and sighed. "Dr. Jamison lost a good amount of blood. Not too much, but enough, and she had to receive more. I was lucky that we had arrived at the hospital within fifteen minutes, or the situation would have been much worse. She also had to get nine stitches on her forehead. She was lucky not to have a concussion," he murmured.

I stared at him in blank horror and disbelief. _Nine_ stitches?! Holy crap! "N-Nine? And she lost blood?" I queried in a tiny voice.

Edward nodded when Carlisle moved away. "Yes," he replied, leaning forward himself. "Do you know what could have happened if Carlisle did not get Dr. Jamison to the hospital in time?" he asked in a quiet voice.

Tears filled my eyes again, and one slipped out this time. "Well, if you or Carlisle did not have as much self-control, you would have drained her. Or if...Dr. Jamison had lost more blood, then..." I mumbled, unable to finish. I had no idea how close I would have came...and how likely Carlisle or Edward would have come close...to being murderers. I started to cry. I never wanted to kill anyone, or be responsible for someone's death! _I really am a bad person_, I thought.

Edward pulled me over to him and embraced me. Static surged through me as Carlisle laid a hand on my arm. "Shhhhh, sweet pea. It is okay. At least it didn't happen. Be thankful for that," Edward whispered.

"I'm so sorry, Daddy," I sobbed, buried in face in his chest.

"I know, Bella. I know."

"I _am_ a terrible person. You must hate me!"

He moved back to look at me. "Bella, my daughter, as I told you before, I could never hate you. Never, no matter how often you misbehave. But I know that you won't because you are a very considerate, sweet, and loving person. Do you understand that, Isabella Marie Cullen?"

The love in his eyes was discernible. He really did mean it. "Yes. I understand."

When I had eventually calmed down, he motioned for me to sit down on the bed again. "You were right. If Carlisle did not get Dr. Jamison to Lenox Hill in time, her life would have been in danger. Well, in even more danger. You are fortunate that she did not see you throw the rock at her. If she had, you would have gone to a juvenile hall, and that would have drawn attention to our family. That is something that we try our hardest not to do at all costs, for obvious reasons. We do not need more attention focused on us than necessary, especially when it is negative. That is another thing that will not be tolerated. Is that understood, Isabella?"

I inclined my head. "Yes, sir," I muttered.

Edward pursed his lips. "As you are still human, this rule is not as important. I am not saying that it isn't, however. But when you are a vampire-and after you are changed into one, if ever-this rule is extremely crucial, especially to our survival. That being said, we have to do everything that we can not to break it. That includes maintaining our self-control and fighting our instincts," he remarked.

He gazed at me shrewdly, silently questioning if I was following him. I nodded once more.

"Now, listen Bella. We know that you have found out that you and Carlisle are soul mates," he announced.

My eyes widened, but I did not comment.

Edward continued with a subtle smirk. "Alice told us, just in case you want to know how we did. Anyway, we know that you know. I understand how confusing everything must have been for you when you were in Carlisle's presence, especially when Dr. Jamison was around. No doubt you were upset...and even angry...by a few of the things that she had done-such as hugging him, flirting with him, and asking him out," he implied.

Well, that explained why he, Alice, and Jasper were laughing at me the day that Carlisle introduced Marlene to the family.

"However," Edward went on in a hard, stern voice. "You have not done a good job in controlling your anger. No matter how upset you were, you had _no right_ to lose your temper. You had no right to throw a stone at Dr. Jamison-even if she was going to punch Carlisle," he added when I opened my mouth to protest. "And you know that you were wrong to hiss at her when she try to pat your hair, and call her bad names. Isabella Cullen, your behavior has been completely unacceptable and reprehensible! I will _not_ allow it, not at all.

"You have already been grounded once for calling Dr. Jamison bad names and using profanity. You shall be punished again, this time for throwing a rock at her. What you did was utterly disrespectful, reckless, and dangerous. As I said, you are lucky that she did not see you do this, and that her injuries were not too serious. She still does not know, but we are not going to tell her. It will only cause more trouble for us if we do-we would be risk exposure of our kind. But this shall not happen, so you won't be punished for bringing unnecessary attention to us. Of course, you have not done this, but if you ever do so, you will be sorry, Isabella. Is that clear?"

I swallowed thickly to prevent myself from bursting into tears again. "Y-yes, Dad," I croaked. I was somewhat relieved, though, knowing that I wouldn't have to confess to Marlene what I did.

Exhaling deeply, he massaged his temples. "This brings me back to your punishment. At first Esme and I considered grounding you, but that just doing so is not severe enough for what you have done. So, after much thought, we decided that the only alternative would be to give you a spanking," he declared, a hint of sadness underlying his tone.

Rage and shock coursed through me as my jaw dropped. "No! Y-you can't do that! That's cruel. Plus, I'm too old and too big to be spanked. Besides, spankings are old-fashioned. No one does it anymore. You _can't_ do that to me! You can't!" I yelled.

"Bella, settle down! Don't...!" Carlisle warned.

Edward got to his feet in vampire speed, startling me and interrupting him. "Isabella Marie Cullen, you do NOT raise your voice at me, or tell me what I can and cannot do! I am your father...you do not have any say in my decisions. And you _will_ treat me with respect. Do you understand me?" he thundered.

I cringed. "Yes, sir Dad. I'm sorry."

He glared at me for a second, then bent down and took my hands. "Bella, I apologize if I had frightened you. I did not intend to do that. But please believe me when I say that I am not punishing you to be cruel. I love you very much, and I only have your best interests at heart. I am looking out for you to guide you and help you with whatever you need. If I choose not to spank you, then I will have no choice but to keep you away from Carlisle until you learn to control yourself around him. But he is your soul mate. I cannot do that because that would be cruel to the both of you. I don't want to do that either, or be cruel. All right?"

I bobbed my head.

Edward sighed, then stood up once more. "Okay. I believe that this conversation has gone on long enough. We should move on to your punishment. Carlisle? Would you mind leaving the room?" he inquired.

"No, Edward. I will just step out for a few minutes. I'll be back," Carlisle replied. He pecked my cheek before leaving. I wished that I could have gone with him, but I know that that wasn't possible.

Turning to me, Edward laid a hand on my shoulder. "Let us proceed, then. Why am I giving you this spanking, Isabella?" he questioned.

I gulped. "For throwing a rock at Dr. Jamison and endangering her life. And for losing my temper and disrespecting her. And it was wrong because I should have just stopped her by warning Carlisle of what she was going to do," I mumbled.

"Very good. Unfasten your jeans and lower your underwear. I will be doing this on the bare," he stated, sitting down on the bed.

"Yes, Dad," I returned, flushing with mortification and embarrassment. I wanted to run, but I knew somehow that this was not the best option.

When I had done what he told me, Edward pulled me gently over his lap. I trembled violently, and he rubbed my back to soothe me. "Everything is going to be okay, sweet pea. I am going to start now." He tightened his right arm around my waist, and I buried my face in my hands.

_Swat! Swat! Swat! Swat!_

I whimpered. Damn! That hurt like hell!_  
_

_Swat! Swat! Swat! Swat!_

I chewed my tongue as bit back a cry of pain, but I was quickly losing my resolve.

_Swat! Swat! Swat! Swat!_

A sob escaped my lips as the fire on my ass burned even hotter. _  
_

_Swat! Swat! Swat! Swat!_

___Swat! Swat! Swat! Swat!_

_____Swat! Swat! Swat! Swat!_

"Owww!" I yelled as he switched from the sit spots to the under curves. _Swat! Swat!_ "Ahhhh! Okay, Daddy, I'm sorry, so sorry! Please stop!"

Edward did not respond. He just kept on until he began to lecture me again. "I am very, _very_ disappointed and disgusted in your behavior, Isabella Cullen. It has been completely _abysmal_! You need to gain self-control and learn how to control your temper! Your actions tonight had endangered the life of not only Carlisle's fellow co-worker, but also his friend. What you did to her was very disrespectful and uncalled for. If you _ever_ do something like this again, your punishment will be longer. Am I clear on that?"

He emphasized his last question with five swats that were harder than the rest. "AHHH! Yes, you're clear! Crystal clear!" I cried, finally bursting into tears as guilt and shame overtook me. _  
_

_SWAT! SWAT!_ "And I hope that I never have to repeat this lesson because I hate to repeat myself," he admonished.

"OUCH! You won't, Dad-owww!-I promise! Ahhh! I'm sorry! I'll be good! OW, OW! I'll behave better! AHHH! Please stop, Daddy! OUCH!"

"You will be held to your promises, Isabella."

"Y-yes, sir!" I wept before hiding my face in my arms and breaking down completely.

Seeing that I had learned my lesson, he gave me ten last swats. Afterwards, he let me straighten out my jeans before holding me close. "It is all right, sweet pea. Everything is behind us now, and we won't have to mention it again. I forgive you, baby. Shhhh, shhhh," he cooed, rocking me back and forth.

I sobbed into his neck. "Daddy, I'm s-sorry. I'm so sorry," I wailed.

"I know, I know. As I said, you are forgiven. Shhhh."

"Do you think Carlisle and Esme will forgive me and accept my apology?" I sniffled.

There were a couple of gentle laughs.

"Of course, baby girl. We already have," Esme soothed.

I swallowed thickly. "You don't hate me?"

She kissed me on the forehead. "No, silly Bella. We could never, _ever_ hate you."

Finally convinced of this, I grinned in fervent relief.

"Carlisle? I'm so sorry for what I did to your friend. I don't know what came over me or why I did that."

He lifted me into his arms. "I know you are, my dear, and I understand why you did. It's okay now," he murmured.

When I had stopped crying some time later, I looked up to meet his warm, golden eyes. Already, it felt as if a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. I was even happy. "Why...how come you didn't tell me that you and I are...are soul mates?" I questioned.

Carlisle sighed. "I felt that it wasn't the right time; I wanted to wait until you were older," he responded.

I nodded pensively. "I know what you mean. But you could have, you know. I'm not _that_ young. It's not like I wouldn't have understood," I pointed out.

He chuckled. "That's true."

Leaning into him, I whispered, "I understand that you didn't because you wanted to wait. I don't mind that, though. I don't mind waiting. Besides, if we chose not to, you would likely end up in trouble, big brother." I giggled.

Everyone laughed heartily.

"Isn't that the truth?" Carlisle remarked.

(A/N: **PLEASE REVIEW!** This chapter was longer than I expected it to be, but I hope that you still liked it! I hoped that it wasn't too long for you! Yay! Bella _finally_ found out!

In the next chapter, we will find out if Bella's parents and stepfather are alive or not, so stay tuned! When that chapter is posted, the alternate story will be afterwards. But even then, this story won't be over. There is still more to go! Thank you for reading! I appreciate it very much!)


	15. Chapter 13: The Reunion

**Carlisle's POV**

Bella had completely settled down after a while. I gave her a hug, then lifted her into a standing position. "Have you had dinner yet, sweet girl?" I inquired.

She shook her head. "No," she responded.

"Well, it's about time that you did. Come on. I will make you a plate of food."

Edward held up his hands. "Before you do that, Carlisle, I need to talk to Bella about the other part of her punishment," he declared.

I bobbed my head, indicating for him to do so.

He shifted his gaze to her. "Isabella, I will be removing your TV and VCR/DVD from your room. You will not be watching television, in this house or anywhere else, for week. After school, you will come straight to this apartment and do your homework. Once you have completed your assignments, you will have dinner and go directly to bed. Do you understand me?" he inquired sternly.

It was obvious that Bella thought that this was very unfair, considering that she had already been spanked for what she had done. But she accepted her punishment, albeit reluctantly. "Yes, Dad," she grumbled.

He nodded. "Good."

I fixed baked ziti and mixed vegetables while Edward and Esme sat at the table with her. We talked while I cooked and Bella ate, but not of important things.

The next couple of hours flew by without any drama. At 10:30, Bella decided to go to bed, feeling tired. She changed into her pajamas and Edward, Esme, and I bid her good-night.

"I will see you tomorrow, Bella. Love you," Edward announced, kissing her forehead.

"Have a few good dreams for us," Esme stated before pecking her cheek. "I love you, baby girl."

"Sleep well, my dear. I love you," I murmured. I embraced her and smooched her temple.

Bella grinned and returned the kisses and hugs. "I love you too, Mom, Dad, Carlisle."

Making sure to lay on her stomach-her behind was obviously still hurting-Bella made herself comfortable. I tucked her in with another kiss.

"Good-night," I whispered.

"Night," she mumbled.

I patted her hair before turning off the lamp. Then Edward, Esme, and I walked out of the room.

"Well, we are going to back to our place. Do you mind looking after your mate for us?" Edward teased with a wink.

Laughing heartily, I rolled my eyes. "No, of course not. Go and have fun."

"All right. Good-bye, Father."

"See you," Esme added.

I waved. "Bye."

They gathered their belongings and left. I sat down in my armchair and reflected on the evening's events.

I was pleased to see that Bella had recovered from her punishment as fast as she did, emotionally at least. It was very hard to listen to her being spanked. It took all of my willpower to keep myself from stopping Edward.

Although I knew that Bella was in the wrong, and that she deserved to be punished, I did not want him to do it. I did not want him to spank her at all, regardless of what she had done to Marlene. I hated that my emotions were conflicting between protecting Bella and allowing Edward to discipline her. I was ashamed that I felt this way; I was a father myself! If one of my children had thrown that rock at Marlene, I would have most definitely blistered their butt so badly that they wouldn't have been able to sit for a couple of days.

Nevertheless, I was terribly afraid that Edward would seriously harm her. It was still difficult for him to be near her. What if he had lost control of himself and injured Bella, even if it was unintentionally?

Well, the answer to that was plain and simple. I would have, on no uncertain terms, lambasted him quite soundly for hurting my mate.

I decided not to worry about this, however, since it did not happen. Bella was all right for the most part. She had learned her lesson. Perhaps she will behave better as she had promised to. I hoped that she would. I had no desire to go through that kind of emotional turmoil again. It was too unsettling for me and I was not used to feeling so worked-up.

On a more enthusiastic note, I was pleased that Bella understood her boundaries when it came to us being soul mates. But she was an intelligent young lady; I would be amazed if she did not know her limits. If she were anyone else, she would probably not fathom why we could not have a romantic relationship. This would have been understandable, of course, circumstances being what they were. Yes, she was infatuated and obsessed with me. It was apparent. However, she knew that she could not act on her feelings for me until she was of age. I was glad that she would view me as her brother for the time being.

Suddenly, an unpleasant thought entered my head. What if Bella lost patience with waiting after a certain amount of time? What if she chose to disregard the fact that she was too young to pursue me, and did so anyway? How would I resist her advances without hurting her? What if I was unable to stop her? What if no one could? She was pretty stubborn if she wanted something terribly. And I, being the spoiling big brother that I was, would give it to her. I hated for her to be disappointed, so nearly all of my ambitions were centered on making sure that she was happy.

Knowing this, would I feel as if I _had_ to give in to her because I was afraid to hurt her by saying no? Even if it was morally wrong? Even if I knew that we would risk being found out, thereby jeopardizing my existence? My family's existence?

Those were even more troubling questions, but the answer to them were most definitely no. I could not do that. I would have to refuse her in this case, even though it would be extremely hard. As I mentioned before, I did not like for her to be disappointed or let down.

I doubted that I would have to concern myself about this type of situation, though. Bella was nothing if not reasonable and level-headed.

With a deep sigh, I massaged my temples and tried to relax. There was not much sense in making myself feel worried over this barely-probable potential problem, especially when it was not likely to occur.

As if it coincided with me, fate had already cut off any chances of this ever happening. But I would not know this until Saturday.

XXX

(Saturday-11:00am)

My children were on their Friday night to Saturday night hunt, so I was looking after Bella once more.

We were not doing anything special. Bella was finishing an essay that she had to type in her room while I was poring over a novel in her rocking chair. She had asked me if I could sit with her. I had clearly agreed to, knowing that she enjoyed my presence and spending time with me. And, of course, so did I.

Ever since she had found out that we were mates, she wanted me to be around her more often. However, it appeared that she felt shy and awkward about it. I told her that she did not have to feel this way the day before.

"You know that there is nothing wrong with that, as long as everything stays brotherly and sisterly between us. Besides, you know that I love hanging out with you," I added reassuringly, poking her playfully.

"Alright, I believe you. Stop," she ordered when I continued to poke her, swatting my hand away with a giggle. "You're being just as irritating as Emmett right now, you know."

"Please, Bellissima, don't ever compare with that overly-goofy court jester. I am nothing like him."

She snickered and I had to laugh with her.

Coming back to the present, to returned to reading my book, humming to myself. Bella had stopped typing and was looking over her work for mistakes. It did not seem as if she found many because she only corrected a few things. After that, she saved her essay on her floppy disk and turned off the computer.

I looked up. "Are you done, sweetheart?" I queried.

"Yeah, that was the last of my homework. I'm free for the rest of the weekend," she replied. She made to climb onto my lap.

I held her close and she snuggled into me. "That's wonderful. So, what shall we do today?"

"Well, if it were cloudy, I would have asked if we could go to Central Park. There isn't anything to do here in this apartment that we haven't already done."

"You and I don't have to stay here just because the sun is out. We can go to the park. I'll throw on my protective clothing and I will drive us there."

"No, no! People will think that you're strange if you go out there in a wide hat and a leather coat and gloves. It's only the beginning of October."

I quirked an eyebrow with a grin. "What if I do not care?"

Bella sighed. "Well, maybe you don't. Neither do I, since I know why you have to. I just don't want anybody to make fun of you behind your back, that's all."

Chuckling, I joked, "What would you do if they did, my sweet, over protective little sister? Throw rocks at them?"

She gave me a dirty look and stuck her tongue out at me. "You're not as funny as you think you are, Carlisle."

I rolled my eyes, but did not comment. "Go put on your jacket, and I'll meet you by the door."

Kissing my cheek before standing, Bella shook her head. "It looks like someone's mind is made up."

I left the room and grabbed my coat, hat, and gloves out of the hallway's closet. Bella met me there just as I had finished putting them on.

"Are you ready? Let's go, then," I stated.

The drive to Central Park was not long. Or maybe it did not seem long because Bella and I talked during the whole trip. Anyway, before we knew it, we were there.

"What would you like to first? Sit down by the fountain or take a little walk?" I asked.

"A walk sounds fine," she remarked.

"Okay, then. Lead the way, my dear."

She nodded and headed up one of the pathways. I fell in step beside her.

Many people were here today, playing football, tossing frisbees, talking, or strolling. Some of them glanced at me with a frown, as if I were an odd-looking personage. I think that Bella was right about them thinking that I was strange. It was obvious that it was only cool enough for a light jacket.

I ignored them, keeping my attention focused on our walk. It was a fairly nice one. We took a tour of the whole park. We looked over a couple of statues and skipped rocks in the pond. We also fed the ducks and geese that were treading water there (I had purchased a loaf of bread from a stop.)

"They'll be heading south in a couple of weeks," Bella remarked as a flock of ducks swam up to her. We dropped a few crumbs into the water, but a few of them were brave enough to eat out of our hands.

When the last of the bread was gone, we continued our ramble for another hour. We teased each other, bantered, and exchanged jokes for a greater part of it. In short, we had pleasant time.

I was sure that we would have kept on walking, but Bella had grown exhausted. We found an empty bench and sat down.

Bella groaned in relief. "That's much better. My legs were aching!" she murmured.

I rubbed her hair. "Are you enjoying yourself so far?"

"Mm-hmm. This was the most fun I've had in a long time. Well, it feels like it's been a long time."

"Then I am glad. You deserve to have fun and to be happy." I kissed her on the forehead.

Abruptly my phone rang. I glimpsed at the screen to see that Edward was calling me.

I flipped it open. "Hello?" I said.

"Carlisle," he greeted, his voice heavy with excitement.

His tone immediately revealed that something important had happened. "Yes, Edward? What is wrong?" I demanded in concern.

"Nothing, but are you in a place where Bella is unable to hear you?"

"No, but hold on." I covered the mouthpiece and turned to her. "I'm just going over there for a moment. Edward needs to talk to me in private. Do you mind?"

She said no. "Of course I don't. Tell Pop that I said hi."

I nodded before walking several feet away. "Bella said hi, Edward. Now tell me what is going on."

"I received a call from Mount Sinai Hospital a few minutes ago. Don't tell Bella this, I want it to be a surprise. But they found her parents and stepfather!"

A wide smile threatened to split my face open. I was more elated than I had been for quite some time. " Really? That's wonderful!" I exclaimed in a low voice. "Are they alive?"

"Yes-it turns out that they had been there for weeks. The only reason why they had not called sooner was because they suffered from temporary amnesia. They were unable to remember their names. They couldn't remember Bella, either, or anything else. However, they had finally regained their memory, and were able to give the doctor who called me their names."

"Are they all right?"

"Mostly. Bella's mother has a fractured leg, and her father's arm is broken. Phil is okay, except that he walks with a limp. The doctor said that it would be there for a while. They also had some cuts and bruises, plus brain trauma, but they had mostly faded away by now. I'm surprised that they did not sustain more injuries than that."

"When will Bella be able to see them?"

"Tomorrow evening. The doctor told be that they are well enough to leave, but he wants to keep them there for safety precautions. But after they are released, I will bring them to my house. Thankfully, the doctor did not mention anything about Esme and I being Renée's cousin."

"That's good."

Edward laughed lightly. "Well, I had better get going. I have more animals to hunt. Wait a minute, Alice sent me a couple of text messages." He paused for a long moment. "Uh, Carlisle? The messages are for you. She wanted me to tell you something important."

I blinked, not expecting this. "Oh. Well, what did she say?"

He was quiet before he responded. "She says that you can't be around when Bella is reunited with her family. It will only make be more difficult for you to be with her when she is of age. We cannot to mention you either. Not for a while, at least. But she says that everything will be okay in the end. She is thinking of a way for you to be able to see Bella again without them being suspicious as we speak. You know that she will too, as smart as she is."

As I listened to him, I could feel my joy turn into horror and dismay. Not only would I unable to share Bella's happiness when she finally saw her parents and stepfather again, but I would not have much of a chance to see her! At least, not for certain amount of time.

However, this should not have mattered to me very much. Bella's reunion with her family was more important than anything else. Still, I did not want to be separated from her, regardless of this. A hot surge of fury coursed through me at the thought of _my _little sister, of _my_ Bella, having no choice but to leave me. Of being _taken away_ from me. Of being taken away from my family, in which she also rightly belonged.

Then I mentally slapped myself. What was the matter with me?! I should have been focusing on how happy Bella would be, instead worry about how I felt and what I wanted. How could I be so selfish?

"Hello? Are you there, Carlisle?" Edward questioned.

I cleared my throat. "Yes, I am. Did she say anything else?"

"No, that was it. I know that it must be hard for you to come to terms with this, Dad. But don't worry. Everything will be fine. We'll find some way for you and Bella to see each other and have contact with each other."

I grinned weakly. "Thank you, son."

"You're welcome. Well, Esme and I will see you later tonight. Good-bye."

"Good-bye, Edward."

I hung up the phone and returned to where Bella was sitting, my heart sinking with every step I took.

**Bella's POV**

When Carlisle had finished talking to Edward on the phone, I could tell that something was up. His expression was unreadable as he strolling over to me, but his eyes held anger and sadness.

"Carlisle? What is it?" I queried. "You seem upset."

He looked up. "Oh, nothing in particular. Just something that Edward and I were discussing, but it is not anything that you have to worry about," he replied.

I peered at him shrewdly, not knowing if I should believe him or not. I had an inkling that something was out of place. After a minute, I chose to give him the benefit of the doubt. "All right, if you say so," I mumbled.

He held out his hand to me. "Come on, Bella. It's about time we headed back to the apartment. It will be getting dark soon, and I am certain that you must be hungry by now."

My stomach grumbled accordingly. "Yeah, you're right," I noted.

The trip back home was rather silent. Carlisle did not say anything; he appeared to be deep in thought about something. I myself was unable to strike up a conversation.

Even after we had arrived at the apartment, Carlisle did not speak. He fixed dinner for me, still looking absentminded. Once I had eaten my food and washed the dishes, I laid my hand in the crook of his elbow.

"Are you sure that you're okay, Carlisle?" I inquired.

He wrapped his arm around me. "Yes. I am just a little preoccupied, is all. I suppose you had better get to your room now. Edward and Esme will be here shortly, and they will be unhappy if you are not in bed when they arrive," he pointed out quietly.

Taken aback by this sudden change in the conversation, I frowned but nodded. He was right, unfortunately. "That's true. Well, good-night then, big brother. I love you." I embraced him and pecked his cheek.

He hugged me back and kissed my temple. "I love you too, baby. Good-night."

I left the kitchen, and Carlisle returned to his musings.

(Next day)

When I woke up the following morning, the atmosphere was tense with excitement. Hushed voices resounded from the living room. I yawned, then turned to the clock. It was 9:42.

I climbed out of bed and went to take a shower. After that, I threw on some clothes before entering the aforementioned room.

Everybody was there, including Jasper. They were talking amongst themselves but became silent as I walked in.

"Good morning, baby girl," Esme proclaimed.

"Morning. Hi everybody," I added with a tired smile.

They returned my greeting with their own hellos and we exchanged pleasantries.

I sat on Carlisle's lap after a moment. "Hey, you."

"Hi there. Are you hungry? Would you like breakfast?" he inquired.

I made a face and shook my head. "Not right now. Maybe later. So, what's up? Why am I getting this excited vibe from everyone?"

Rosalie shrugged. "Eehn. The guys are just raving over how much game they had caught the night before," she chuckled, rolling her eyes.

"Oh," I grunted. For reasons unknown to me, I had the feeling that she was lying to me, but I disregarded it.

Nothing much happened after this. I had breakfast an hour or so later, then watched movies with the others. We did so for the rest of the morning and half of the afternoon. We played games after I had finished my lunch, which was fun. I had to admit that the guys, with the exception of Carlisle, were a bit rowdy and over-competitive. Nevertheless, I enjoyed myself, and so did everybody else.

During that whole time, I noticed that Carlisle was a little...distant from me. I asked him what was the matter, finding this very unusual. But he assured me that he was all right.

In addition to that, the tense atmosphere that I woke up to had remained. This was also very strange, but I chose to put it in the back of my mind.

It was a little after sunset when I noticed Edward checking his watch. "Esme and I have to go now. We have some business to take care of. Alice, in a half an hour, I want you to take Bella to our house. Okay?"

Alice inclined her head, glancing at me and smiling secretly. "Sure, no problem."

"We'll come too," Emmett piped up, indicating Rosalie, Jasper, and himself.

Edward and Esme put on their jackets. "We will be back soon."

They left with a wave.

I scowled in confusion. "What do they want me to go to their house for?"

The others just shrugged, but I could tell by their eyes that they knew.

"You will see," Alice implied, but did not say anything else. I noticed, however, that she was bouncing up and down. She never did that unless she was excited about something.

The next twenty-five minutes were nothing but psychological torture. Every minute that passed cemented my beliefs that something was being kept from me. Everyone was exchanging pointed looks when they thought that I wasn't looking, but I knew better than to ask about it.

_Still, what is going on?_ I demanded to myself. However, an answer did not come to mind.

All in all, I was relieved when it was time to go to Edward's house. I had donned my jacket and had just put my keys in my pocket when Carlisle called me. When I turned to him, he beckoned me with his finger.

"Yes?" I queried when I was standing before him.

"May I have a word with you for a moment, please?" he whispered almost timidly.

"Sure."

He jerked his head and I followed him to Alice's old room, which was now his. He closed the door before facing me, staring at me with such intensity that I was caught off guard. He seemed to be committing me to memory, the way he was taking me in, his eyes roving all over my face.

"Carlisle...why are you looking at me like that? Oh!" I gasped when he abruptly encompassed me in fierce hug.

"Bella, I love you so very, very much. You know that, right?" he murmured.

I returned his embrace, patting his back. "Yes, I do. And I love you even more than you could imagine."

Kissing me on the cheek, he held me even tighter. "I'm glad to know that, Bella. And I hope that you will always keep how much I love you in mind. I hope that you always remember it."

I chuckled softly. "Don't worry, I will. But why are you bringing this up as if we'll never see each other again? You're making me worried."

"I do not mean to, sweet girl. I just wanted you to know how much I love and care for you."

I nodded in understanding.

After a long moment, I kissed his cheek and he placed a lingering smooch on my forehead. Then he drew back. "Go on, now. You don't want to be late."

I cocked my head to the side. "Aren't you coming with us?"

"No, I am afraid that I can't. You will see why." He hugged me one more time. "I love you, my dear Bella."

"I love you too, Carlisle."

We left the room, and I joined Alice and the others as they waited by the door.

"Let's go, Bella. Edward will be at the house in fifteen minutes!" Alice stated.

"Okay, I coming." I turned to Carlisle and waved. "See you soon."

He inclined his head. "Good-bye, Bella."

Emmett opened the door and I followed the others out of the apartment.

**Carlisle's POV**

As I stared at the closed door, I could feel my eyes brim with unshed tears. While I was happy for Bella, I couldn't help but wonder when or how often I would see her again.

I knew one thing, though. Something that I did not have to wonder about. When she, my world, the light of my existence, was not around, I would miss her so.

I would miss her so.

**Bella's POV**

It only took us a few minutes to get to Edward and Esme house, since Alice decided to take the shortcut there through the alleyways. When we arrived there, everyone headed for the upstairs porch.

"Let's sit outside. It's almost dark out and the weather is nice," Rosalie observed.

Emmett and Jasper brought out a few extra chairs, and we made ourselves comfortable. Or, at least, I tried to. They had brought their explained excitement with them, and it was making me feel jittery.

As we waited, Alice and Rosalie chatted about shoes and high heels. Meanwhile, Emmett and Jasper blabbered on about sports and cars. It was hard to pay attention to them, or keep track of what everyone was saying.

Suddenly, Alice's eyes clouded over. At the same time, I heard a car pull up before the engine was cut off.

I poked her. "What is it? What did you see?"

She shook her head as she came back to reality. She beamed at me. "You'll know in a second."

I heard doors slamming shut below me, then another door opening and closing. The porch lights clicked on, and I had to shield my eyes briefly.

Then, the porch doors opened and Esme appeared. "Hi everyone. Hi Bella. Some people are here to see you, baby girl," she declared.

I frowned. Who did I know who would want to see me? "Who?"

With a bright smile, she turned and gestured to whoever it was.

Three people stepped onto the rooftop, a woman and two men. The woman had a cast around her left leg. One of the men had a cast on his right arm, and the other walked with a limp. Their faces were masked in darkness, so I could not tell who they were at first.

However, as they moved closer, the dimming light from the sky brought them into relief. My jaw dropped and I bolted out of my chair as recognized them.

There, standing in front of me were the three people who I thought was gone forever. Three people who I was not sure I would ever see again.

I stood there for an indefinite amount of time, amazement and shock crashing through me in waves. Then I sprang forward.

"MOM! DAD! PHIL!" I yelled, running over to them.

They beamed and met me halfway. Mom reached me first and threw her arms around me, being careful with her leg. I felt Charlie and Phil hug the both of us. I buried my face in Mom's shoulder as I embraced her and cried tears of joy.

"I'm so glad that you're alive!" I wept.

Mom kissed me over and over. "We are too, Bella, and we're so glad that you're okay. We missed you," she sobbed.

"I missed you too. You will never know how much."

Next, Charlie embraced me with his good arm, then Phil gave me a hug. I clung to each one of them tightly. I never wanted to let them go.

And hopefully, I will never have to ever again.

(A/N: **PLEASE REVIEW! The more reviews, the better! **Oh, the part where Carlisle was saying good-bye to Bella was so sad that I cried. I would be crying now because Bella has finally! reunited with her parents, but I am too sleepy to. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter. The alternate story will be up soon, so stayed tuned!)


	16. IMPORTANT

**Author's Note**

To those of you who have not read it yet, I had posted the alternate version of this story, "My New, Unexpected Life", a few weeks ago. Chapter three has just been posted. If you would like to read it, you'll know how to find it. In case you do not, just click my name-it is right there on my stories list. Enjoy!

~Iridescent Bellisle Cullen (formerly Iridescent Springs)~


	17. IMPORTANT NEWS!

**Author's Note**

I have good news. I had published my book this morning! It took a while to do it, but I finally did. If you are interested in buying it, go to , click the Bookstore tab and put The Chronicles of Josie in the search bar. If you read it, I hope that you enjoy it! I

I will also try to update the story ASAP. I am not finished with it, so don't worry. As they always say, the show must go on!

~Iridescent Bellisle Cullen (I.B.C.)~


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